Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 11
Varṇāśrama-dharma as a Path to Bhakti
Yuga-dharma Origins, Universal Virtues, Brahmacarya and Gṛhastha Duties
वेद: प्रणव एवाग्रे धर्मोऽहं वृषरूपधृक् । उपासते तपोनिष्ठा हंसं मां मुक्तकिल्बिषा: ॥ ११ ॥
vedaḥ praṇava evāgre dharmo ’haṁ vṛṣa-rūpa-dhṛk upāsate tapo-niṣṭhā haṁsaṁ māṁ mukta-kilbiṣāḥ
Au commencement du Satya-yuga, le Véda indivis s’exprimait seulement par la syllabe sacrée « Om », et J’étais l’unique objet de l’esprit. Je Me manifestai comme le taureau du dharma aux quatre pattes; les ascètes, purifiés de toute faute, M’adoraient comme le Seigneur Haṁsa.
The bull of religion is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.17.24) : tapaḥ śaucaṁ dayā satyam iti pādāḥ kṛte kṛtāḥ. “In the age of Satya [truthfulness], your four legs were established by the four principles of austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness.” Śrī Vyāsadeva divided the one Veda into four — the Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma and Atharva Vedas — at the end of Dvāpara-yuga, but in Satya-yuga the whole of Vedic knowledge is easily understood by everyone simply by vibrating the syllable om. In this age there are no ritualistic or pious activities such as sacrifice, since everyone is sinless, austere and fully engaged in worshiping the Personality of Godhead, Lord Haṁsa, through the process of meditation.
FAQs
This verse states that in the beginning the Veda existed as the single syllable Oṁ, indicating praṇava as the primordial Vedic sound and essence of revelation.
Kṛṣṇa identifies Himself as dharma and uses the bull as dharma’s emblem—strength, steadiness, and support—showing that true righteousness is grounded in the Lord’s own nature.
Adopt disciplined habits that reduce distraction and selfishness—regular sādhana, truthful living, restraint, and service—so the mind becomes purified (mukta-kilbiṣa) and receptive to devotion and spiritual insight.