Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

नमो द्विशीर्ष्णे त्रिपदे चतु:श‍ृङ्गाय तन्तवे । सप्तहस्ताय यज्ञाय त्रयीविद्यात्मने नम: ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

namo dvi-śīrṣṇe tri-pade catuḥ-śṛṅgāya tantave sapta-hastāya yajñāya trayī-vidyātmane namaḥ

Translation

Je T’offre mes prosternations, Seigneur en tant que Yajña : aux deux têtes, trois pieds, quatre cornes, tissé comme un fil, aux sept mains; Toi dont l’âme est la triple science védique, je me prosterne devant Toi.

Synonyms

• नमः: salutations
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• द्विशीर्ष्णे: to the two-headed one
• द्विशीर्ष्णे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि-शीर्षन् (प्रातिपदिक; द्वि + शीर्षन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numerical): द्वे शीर्षणी यस्य (two-headed)

• त्रिपदे: to the three-footed one
• त्रिपदे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि-पद (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + पद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: त्रीणि पदानि यस्य (three-footed)

• चतु:शृङ्गाय: to the four-horned one
• चतु:शृङ्गाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्-शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर् + शृङ्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: चत्वारि शृङ्गाणि यस्य (four-horned)

• तन्तवे: to the thread / principle
• तन्तवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सप्तहस्ताय: to the seven-handed one
• सप्तहस्ताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त-हस्त (प्रातिपदिक; सप्त + हस्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: सप्त हस्ताः यस्य (seven-handed)

• यज्ञाय: to the sacrifice (Yajña)
• यज्ञाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्रयीविद्यात्मने: to the very self of the threefold Vedic knowledge
• त्रयीविद्यात्मने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रयी-विद्या-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; त्रयी + विद्या + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: त्रय्याः विद्यायाः आत्मा (whose essence is the threefold Vedic knowledge)

• नमः: salutations
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

Characters & Entities

• Aditi
• Lord Viṣṇu
• Yajña

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Lord Vishnu being Yajna (sacrifice) itself?

This verse directly praises the Lord as “yajña,” indicating that sacrifice is ultimately meant for Him and that He is the inner reality and goal of all Vedic offerings.

Why does Aditi describe Vishnu with symbolic features like two heads, four horns, and seven hands?

Aditi is offering Vedic-style praises that portray the Lord as the cosmic form and the indwelling principle behind Vedic ritual—He is the sustaining “thread,” the power of yajña, and the essence of Vedic knowledge.

Practical application of seeing God as the essence of the Vedas and yajna in modern life?

Offer daily actions as service—study sacred texts with humility, dedicate work and food as an offering, and remember that spiritual practice is meant to please the Supreme, not merely to perform external ritual.