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Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 47

Kriyā-yoga, the Virāṭ-Puruṣa Mapping, and the Sun-God’s Monthly Expansions

सामर्ग्यजुर्भिस्तल्ल‍िङ्गैऋर्षय: संस्तुवन्त्यमुम् । गन्धर्वास्तं प्रगायन्ति नृत्यन्त्यप्सरसोऽग्रत: ॥ ४७ ॥ उन्नह्यन्ति रथं नागा ग्रामण्यो रथयोजका: । चोदयन्ति रथं पृष्ठे नैऋर्ता बलशालिन: ॥ ४८ ॥

sāmarg-yajurbhis tal-liṅgair ṛṣayaḥ saṁstuvanty amum gandharvās taṁ pragāyanti nṛtyanty apsaraso ’grataḥ

Los sabios glorifican al dios Sol con himnos del Sāma, Ṛg y Yajur Veda, que revelan su identidad. Los Gandharvas cantan sus alabanzas y las Apsarās danzan ante su carro. Los Nāgas ajustan las cuerdas del carro, los Yakṣas enganchan los caballos, y los poderosos Rākṣasas empujan desde atrás.

sāma-ṛg-yajurbhiḥwith Sāma, Ṛg, and Yajus (hymns)
sāma-ṛg-yajurbhiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootsāman + ṛc + yajus (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (collective), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); dvandva of Vedic texts: sāma + ṛg + yajus
tat-liṅgaiḥwith those attributes/signs
tat-liṅgaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Roottat + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); tat-ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: “of that” + “marks/signs/attributes”
ṛṣayaḥthe sages
ṛṣayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
saṁstuvantipraise
saṁstuvanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsam-stu (धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)
amumhim (that one)
amum:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootadas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
gandharvāḥthe Gandharvas
gandharvāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootgandharva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
tamhim
tam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
pragāyantising forth
pragāyanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-gai (धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)
nṛtyantidance
nṛtyanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootnṛt (धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)
apsarasaḥthe Apsarases
apsarasaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootapsaras (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
agrataḥin front
agrataḥ:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootagrataḥ (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय): “in front/ahead”
Ṛṣis
G
Gandharvas
A
Apsarās

FAQs

This verse describes Gandharvas singing and Apsarās dancing in front of the presiding deity, showing how celestial beings serve through devotional arts—song and dance—as part of cosmic worship.

They represent the principal Vedic streams of praise and ritual expression; the sages glorify the deity using hymns from all three, indicating complete and orthodox Vedic worship.

It highlights offering one’s talents—recitation, music, or dance—in glorification of the Lord and His divine order, making devotion expressive, disciplined, and joyful.