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Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 42

The Song of the Avantī Brāhmaṇa (Avanti-brāhmaṇa-gītā): Mind as the Root of Suffering and Equanimity Amid Insult

Devanagari script

द्विज उवाच नायं जनो मे सुखदु:खहेतु- र्न देवतात्मा ग्रहकर्मकाला: । मन: परं कारणमामनन्ति संसारचक्रं परिवर्तयेद् यत् ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

dvija uvāca nāyaṁ jano me sukha-duḥkha-hetur na devatātmā graha-karma-kālāḥ manaḥ paraṁ kāraṇam āmananti saṁsāra-cakraṁ parivartayed yat

Translation

Le brāhmane dit : Ces gens ne sont pas la cause de mon bonheur et de ma peine. Ni les demi-dieux, ni mon corps, ni les planètes, ni mon karma passé, ni le temps. C’est l’esprit seul qu’on proclame cause suprême, car c’est lui qui fait tourner la roue du saṁsāra.

Synonyms
द्विजःthe brāhmaṇa (twice-born)
द्विजः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
नnot
न:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)
अयम्this
अयम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
जनःperson/people
जनः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootजन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
मेmy
मे:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (Genitive) एकवचन; enclitic form
सुख-दुःख-हेतुःcause of pleasure and pain
सुख-दुःख-हेतुः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसुख (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: द्वन्द्व (सुख-दुःख) + तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी: “of pleasure and pain” + हेतु)
नnor/not
न:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध
देवतात्माthe deity (as controller)
देवतात्मा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदेवतā (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: “whose self is deity/daiva”)
ग्रह-कर्म-कालाःplanets, karma, and time
ग्रह-कर्म-कालाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (the planets, karma, and time)
मनःmind
मनः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
परम्supreme/primary
परम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (kāraṇam)
कारणम्cause
कारणम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकारण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
आमनन्तिthey declare/teach
आमनन्ति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआ-मन् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन
संसार-चक्रम्the wheel of transmigration
संसार-चक्रम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसंसार (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: “wheel of saṁsāra”)
परिवर्तयेत्would turn/sets in motion
परिवर्तयेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootपरि-वृत्/वर्त् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense in context “would make turn/causes to revolve”
यत्which/that (by which)
यत्:
Hetu (हेतु/निमित्त)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative) referring to mind as that which turns the wheel

FAQs

This verse teaches that the mind is the primary cause; blaming people, demigods, planets, karma, or time misses the root—mental identification and agitation keep saṁsāra turning.

He emphasizes inner responsibility: external factors may appear influential, but the mind’s acceptance, rejection, attachment, and aversion are what actually generate one’s felt experience and bondage.

Practice observing thoughts without immediate reaction, reduce blame and resentment, and cultivate devotion and steadiness—training the mind breaks the cycle of repeated anxiety and dissatisfaction.

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