Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 13

Aditi’s Lament and Kaśyapa’s Instruction of the Payo-vrata (Milk Vow) to Please Keśava

Devanagari script

को नु मे भगवन्कामो न सम्पद्येत मानस: । यस्या भवान्प्रजाध्यक्ष एवं धर्मान्प्रभाषते ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

ko nu me bhagavan kāmo na sampadyeta mānasaḥ yasyā bhavān prajādhyakṣa evaṁ dharmān prabhāṣate

Translation

Oh señor mío, ¿qué deseo de mi corazón no habría de cumplirse? Tú eres un Prajāpati y tú mismo me instruyes en los principios del dharma.

Synonyms

• kaḥ: what/who (which)
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; interrogative pronoun

• nu: indeed/then
• nu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/emphatic particle (प्रश्नार्थक/अनुनासिक)

• me: my
• me: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; enclitic pronoun

• bhagavan: O Lord
• bhagavan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• kāmaḥ: desire
• kāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• sampadyeta: would be fulfilled/succeed
• sampadyeta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√pad (धाातु)
• Form: Liṅ (लिङ्, Optative/vidhi), Ātmanepada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; potential ‘would succeed/be fulfilled’

• mānasaḥ: mental/of the mind
• mānasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifies kāmaḥ (‘mental’)

• yasyāḥ: of whom/for whom
• yasyāḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; relative pronoun referring to the addressee (Aditi)

• bhavān: you
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; honorific ‘you’

• prajā-adhyakṣa: O overseer of creatures
• prajā-adhyakṣa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā + adhyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; tatpuruṣa: prajānām adhyakṣaḥ (‘overseer of creatures’)

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• dharmān: duties/principles
• dharmān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• prabhāṣate: speaks/expounds
• prabhāṣate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√bhāṣ (धाातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, Present), Ātmanepada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

Characters & Entities

• Aditi
• Kashyapa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about fulfilling desires through dharma and devotion?

This verse shows that when the Lord (or His empowered representative) instructs one in dharma, a devotee feels assured that inner desires will be rightly fulfilled under divine guidance.

Why did Aditi say this to Kashyapa in Canto 8 Chapter 16?

Aditi, seeking relief for the devas and the Lord’s help, expresses confidence and gratitude as Kashyapa (as prajādhyakṣa-like guardian and spiritual authority) explains the dharmic vow and worship she should perform.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Seek authentic guidance rooted in dharma, then follow it steadily; trust that sincere, principled practice brings the best outcome—even if the result differs from impulsive personal wants.