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Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 20

Aditi’s Payo-vrata and Viṣṇu’s Promise to Appear as Her Son

Prelude to Vāmana

नैतत् परस्मा आख्येयं पृष्टयापि कथञ्चन । सर्वं सम्पद्यते देवि देवगुह्यं सुसंवृतम् ॥ २० ॥

naitat parasmā ākhyeyaṁ pṛṣṭayāpi kathañcana sarvaṁ sampadyate devi deva-guhyaṁ susaṁvṛtam

Ô déesse, ceci est un secret divin très confidentiel; même si l’on t’interroge, ne le révèle à personne, en aucune manière. Ce qui est gardé secret s’accomplit avec succès.

nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध)
etatthis
etat:
Karma (कर्म/object)
TypeNoun
Rootetat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; here object of ākhyeyam (to be told)
parasmaito another
parasmai:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
TypeNoun
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular; 'to another person'
ākhyeyamto be disclosed
ākhyeyam:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/predicative obligation)
TypeAdjective
Rootākhyeya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ā-√khyā ख्या)
FormGerundive (यत्) 'to be told'; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; predicative with etat
pṛṣṭayāby (her) asking / when asked
pṛṣṭayā:
Hetu (हेतु/circumstance)
TypeNoun
Rootpṛṣṭā (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √prach प्रच्छ्)
FormFeminine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular; 'even when asked' (instrumental of circumstance)
apieven
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात) = 'even'
kathañcanain any way
kathañcana:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkathañcana (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) = 'in any way/at all'
sarvameverything
sarvam:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; subject of sampadyate
sampadyateis accomplished, succeeds
sampadyate:
Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootsam-√pad पद् (धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person, Singular
deviO goddess
devi:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootdevī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Vocative, Singular
deva-guhyamdivine secret
deva-guhyam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdeva (प्रातिपदिक) + guhya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) 'devānāṁ guhyaṁ' (secret of the gods); Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; predicate/apposition to sarvam
su-saṁvṛtamwell concealed
su-saṁvṛtam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsu (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + saṁvṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; sam-√vṛ वृ)
FormPast passive participle (क्त) with intensifier su-; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; agrees with sarvam/deva-guhyam
K
Kashyapa Muni
A
Aditi

FAQs

This verse instructs that the Lord’s confidential worship and vow-related instructions should not be disclosed to others, even if questioned, because such secrecy protects the sanctity and successful completion of the vow.

Kashyapa was guiding Aditi in a specific devotional vow meant to invoke Lord Vishnu’s help; he emphasized confidentiality because the procedure was “deva-guhya” (a divine secret) and meant to be preserved with care for full success.

Keep your personal vows, spiritual disciplines, and sacred commitments steady and private—focus on sincere practice rather than public display—so your devotion remains protected from distraction, criticism, or pride.