Shloka 23

Devanagari script

वासुदेवे भगवति भक्तियोग: प्रयोजित: । जनयत्याशु वैराग्यं ज्ञानं यद्ब्रह्मदर्शनम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ yad brahma-darśanam

Translation

Bhakti-yoga offered to Bhagavān Vāsudeva swiftly gives rise to detachment and to knowledge as Brahman-realization—true self-realization.

Synonyms

• वासुदेवे: in/unto Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; locative

• भगवति: the Blessed Lord
• भगवति: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying Vāsudeva)

• भक्ति-योगः: the yoga of devotion
• भक्ति-योगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—भक्तेः योगः/भक्तिरूपः योगः

• प्रयोजितः: when applied, when practiced
• प्रयोजितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-युज् (धातु) → प्रयोजित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; passive participle ‘applied/engaged’

• जनयति: produces, generates
• जनयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार; परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शीघ्रार्थक (adverb)

• वैराग्यम्: detachment
• वैराग्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैराग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक relative ‘which’ (refers to jñānam)

• ब्रह्म-दर्शनम्: realization/vision of Brahman
• ब्रह्म-दर्शनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—ब्रह्मणः दर्शनम्

Purport

It is said by less intelligent men that bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, is meant for persons who are not advanced in transcendental knowledge and renunciation. But the fact is that if one engages in the devotional service of the Lord in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not have to attempt separately to practice detachment or to wait for an awakening of transcendental knowledge. It is said that one who engages unflinchingly in the devotional service of the Lord actually has all the good qualities of the demigods develop in him automatically. One cannot discover how such good qualities develop in the body of a devotee, but actually it happens. There is one instance where a hunter was taking pleasure in killing animals but after becoming a devotee he was not prepared to kill even an ant. Such is the quality of a devotee.

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva
• Bhagavān (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about how bhakti leads to knowledge and detachment?

This verse states that when devotion is properly directed to Vāsudeva, it swiftly generates both vairāgya (detachment) and jñāna (spiritual knowledge), culminating in Brahman-realization.

Why did Kapiladeva teach this verse to Devahuti in Canto 3?

Kapiladeva instructs His mother Devahuti on the sure method to transcend karmic entanglement—showing that sincere bhakti to the Supreme Lord naturally brings renunciation and true realization.

How can I apply this teaching of bhakti-yoga in modern life?

Center daily practices—hearing, chanting, prayer, and service—on Vāsudeva; as devotion deepens, unhealthy attachments weaken and clarity about life’s spiritual purpose naturally increases.