Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 17

Rantideva’s Supreme Charity and the Hastī Lineage

Hastināpura and Pañcāla Origins

Devanagari script

ईश्वरालम्बनं चित्तं कुर्वतोऽनन्यराधस: । माया गुणमयी राजन्स्वप्नवत् प्रत्यलीयत ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

īśvarālambanaṁ cittaṁ kurvato ’nanya-rādhasaḥ māyā guṇamayī rājan svapnavat pratyalīyata

Translation

Oh Mahārāja Parīkṣit, cuando un devoto puro apoya su mente sólo en el Señor, la māyā hecha de las guṇas se disuelve para él como un sueño.

Synonyms

• īśvara-ālambanam: support/prop of the Lord
• īśvara-ālambanam: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + ālambana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (īśvarasya ālambanam)

• cittam: mind
• cittam: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• kurvataḥ: of (him) who was making
• kurvataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘of (him) doing/making’

• ananya-rādhasaḥ: of one with undivided devotion/merit
• ananya-rādhasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ananya (प्रातिपदिक) + rādhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (anya-rahita) + षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः; विशेषणम् (kurvataḥ)

• māyā: illusion (māyā)
• māyā: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• guṇamayī: made of the guṇas
• guṇamayī: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (guṇaiḥ mayī = consisting of guṇas); विशेषणम् (māyā)

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• svapnavat: like a dream
• svapnavat: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svapna (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (वत्)
• Form: उपमान-अव्यय (adverbial: ‘like a dream’)

• pratyalīyata: vanished/dissolved
• pratyalīyata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-ā-√lī (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; (अर्थे: ‘dissolved/vanished’)

Purport

As it is said:

Characters & Entities

• Parīkṣit Mahārāja
• Īśvara (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about overcoming māyā?

This verse says māyā, formed of the three guṇas, fades like a dream when the mind takes exclusive shelter of the Supreme Lord.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī address the listener as 'O King' here?

Śukadeva is instructing King Parīkṣit, emphasizing that for a ruler—and for anyone—single-minded devotion to Īśvara is the direct way to transcend illusion.

How can I apply 'īśvarālambanaṁ cittaṁ' in modern life?

Regularly anchor the mind in God through nāma-japa, hearing Bhāgavatam, and offering daily work to the Lord; as devotion becomes exclusive, anxieties and worldly fascination lose their grip.