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Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 11

Arcana-vidhi: The Method of Deity Worship

Vedic, Tantric, and Mixed

सन्ध्योपास्त्यादिकर्माणि वेदेनाचोदितानि मे । पूजां तै: कल्पयेत् सम्यक् सङ्कल्प: कर्मपावनीम् ॥ ११ ॥

sandhyopāstyādi-karmāṇi vedenācoditāni me pūjāṁ taiḥ kalpayet samyak- saṅkalpaḥ karma-pāvanīm

En fixant son esprit sur Moi, qu’il M’adore par les devoirs prescrits par les Vedas, tels que la pratique du sandhyā et la récitation du Gāyatrī, avec un sankalpa juste. Ces actes purifient les réactions du karma intéressé.

sandhyā-upāsti-ādi-karmāṇiacts such as sandhyā-worship, etc.
sandhyā-upāsti-ādi-karmāṇi:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootsandhyā (प्रातिपदिक) + upāsti (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमास-समूह (Tatpuruṣa chain: “acts such as sandhyā-worship etc.”); karman = नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन (Plural)
vedenaby the Veda
vedena:
Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootveda (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)
acoditāninot enjoined (by the Veda)
acoditāni:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota + codita (कृदन्त, √cud “to impel/command”)
Formनञ्-समास/उपसर्ग (negation a-); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन (Plural)
meof me / my
me:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)
pūjāmworship
pūjām:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootpūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
taiḥwith those (acts)
taiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formतद्-सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)
kalpayetshould arrange/perform
kalpayet:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√kḷp (कॢप् धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद
samyakproperly
samyak:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsamyak (अव्यय)
Formक्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: “properly, correctly”)
saṅkalpaḥ(with) intention/resolve
saṅkalpaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootsaṅkalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
karma-pāvanīmpurifying (one’s) actions
karma-pāvanīm:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkarma (प्रातिपदिक) + pāvanī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa: “purifying (one’s) actions”); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), pūjām इति विशेषण (qualifies “pūjā”)
K
Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

This verse says that Vedic duties like sandhyā prayers, when used to properly worship the Lord with sincere resolve, become a means to purify one’s actions.

In this chapter Kṛṣṇa teaches the method and spirit of arcana; He explains that Vedic practices can be harmonized into devotion when they are performed as worship of Him, with proper intention.

Before daily practice—japa, prayer, or temple worship—set a clear intention that the act is for the Lord’s pleasure; this devotional purpose helps transform routine actions into purifying bhakti.