Shloka 9

Uddhava Recalls Kṛṣṇa’s Mission: Earth’s Burden, Royal Dharma, and the Prelude to Dvārakā’s Withdrawal

Devanagari script

तास्वपत्यान्यजनयदात्मतुल्यानि सर्वत: । एकैकस्यां दश दश प्रकृतेर्विबुभूषया ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

tāsv apatyāny ajanayad ātma-tulyāni sarvataḥ ekaikasyāṁ daśa daśa prakṛter vibubhūṣayā

Translation

To expand Himself in accord with His transcendental nature, the Lord begot offspring equal to Himself: in each of them, ten children, endowed with His very qualities.

Synonyms

• तासु: among them
• तासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• अपत्यानि: offspring
• अपत्यानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अजनयत्: he begot
• अजनयत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदी; causative sense in context ‘caused to be born/begot’

• आत्म-तुल्यानि: equal to himself
• आत्म-तुल्यानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘equal to himself’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सर्वतः: altogether
• सर्वतः: Desha/Prakara (देश/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb); ‘from all sides/altogether’

• एक-एकस्याम्: in each (one)
• एक-एकस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (इतरइतरे: ‘one and one’ → ‘each’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (referring to each wife)

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्/दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; अव्ययवत्/प्रातिपदिकरूपेण; ‘ten’

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्/दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; पुनरुक्तिः वितरणार्थे (‘ten each’)

• प्रकृतेः: of (his) nature
• प्रकृतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• विबुभूषया: by the desire to expand
• विबुभूषया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि + भूष् (धातु) + यत्/आ (इच्छार्थक-भाव)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (हेतु/करण), एकवचन; ‘with the desire to expand/adorn’

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Brahmā expanding creation through progeny?

This verse states that Brahmā, wishing to develop creation through material nature (prakṛti), produced many offspring—ten sons from each wife—who were equal to him in capability.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Brahmā producing children ‘equal to himself’?

To show that the secondary creator (Brahmā) generates highly empowered progenitors who can continue the work of universal administration and further creation.

What is a practical lesson from this verse for modern life?

Growth and expansion work best when responsibility is delegated to qualified people—those trained and empowered to carry forward the mission with competence and integrity.