Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 59

Lord Śiva Instructs the Pracetās (Śiva-stuti and the Path of Bhakti)

Devanagari script

न यस्य चित्तं बहिरर्थविभ्रमं तमोगुहायां च विशुद्धमाविशत् । यद्भक्तियोगानुगृहीतमञ्जसा मुनिर्विचष्टे ननु तत्र ते गतिम् ॥ ५९ ॥

Transliteration

na yasya cittaṁ bahir-artha-vibhramaṁ tamo-guhāyāṁ ca viśuddham āviśat yad-bhakti-yogānugṛhītam añjasā munir vicaṣṭe nanu tatra te gatim

Translation

El devoto cuyo corazón ha sido purificado por el bhakti-yoga y favorecido por Bhakti-devī no se deja engañar por la energía externa, semejante a un pozo oscuro. Así, libre de contaminación material, comprende con gozo Tu nombre, Tu gloria, Tu forma y Tus pasatiempos.

Synonyms

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• cittam: mind
• cittam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• bahir-artha-vibhramam: bewildered by external objects
• bahir-artha-vibhramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahis (अव्यय) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + vibhrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective qualifying cittam; tatpuruṣa: ‘delusion regarding external objects’

• tamaḥ-guhāyām: in the cave of darkness
• tamaḥ-guhāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक) + guhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘cave of darkness’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• viśuddham: purified
• viśuddham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśuddha (√śudh, शुध्; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifying cittam

• āviśat: entered/was absorbed
• āviśat: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√viś (विश्, धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• yat: which/that (state)
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; correlating with tatra

• bhakti-yoga-anugṛhītam: graced through bhakti-yoga
• bhakti-yoga-anugṛhītam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + anugṛhīta (anu-√grah, ग्रह्; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; qualifying yat; tatpuruṣa: ‘favored by bhakti-yoga’

• añjasā: directly/at once
• añjasā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: añjas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental used adverbially; ‘straightway/easily’ (अञ्जसा)

• muniḥ: sage
• muniḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vicaṣṭe: sees/perceives
• vicaṣṭe: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√cakṣ (चक्ष्, धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; ātmanepada

• nanu: indeed/surely
• nanu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nanu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic/interrogative particle (ननु)

• tatra: there/in that (state)
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/adverbial locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of place (देशवाचक)

• te: your/of you
• te: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (enclitic)

• gatim: path/goal
• gatim: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

Purport

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.25.25) :

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Lord Shiva)
• Pracetas
• Vishnu (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about controlling the mind and turning inward?

This verse says the mind must stop wandering after external objects and enter the “cave of the heart,” becoming purified; then, by the grace of bhakti-yoga, one directly realizes the Lord and His supreme destination.

Why did Lord Shiva speak this teaching to the Pracetas in Canto 4?

Lord Shiva instructed the Pracetas to succeed in their spiritual practice and attain the Lord’s shelter; he emphasizes that devotion purifies the heart and grants direct realization beyond mere external activity.

How can I apply this bhakti teaching in modern life?

Reduce outward distraction, practice daily devotion (hearing, chanting, prayer), and cultivate inner remembrance; consistent bhakti purifies the heart so spiritual clarity and purpose replace restless external chasing.