Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 8

Kṛṣṇa’s Impending Departure; Uddhava’s Surrender; King Yadu and the Avadhūta’s Twenty-Four Gurus

Beginnings

Devanagari script

पुंसोऽयुक्तस्य नानार्थो भ्रम: स गुणदोषभाक् । कर्माकर्मविकर्मेति गुणदोषधियो भिदा ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

puṁso ’yuktasya nānārtho bhramaḥ sa guṇa-doṣa-bhāk karmākarma-vikarmeti guṇa-doṣa-dhiyo bhidā

Translation

Celui dont la conscience est égarée par l’illusion perçoit d’innombrables différences de valeur dans les objets matériels; lié au bien et au mal, il médite sans cesse sur karma, akarma et vikarma.

Synonyms

• puṁsaḥ: of a man/person
• puṁsaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध: possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān (पुमान्/पुंस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

• ayuktasya: of the unrestrained/undisciplined
• ayuktasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ayukta (अयुक्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular; qualifies 'puṁsaḥ'

• nānā-arthaḥ: manifold meaning/purpose
• nānā-arthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nānā (नाना अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + artha (अर्थ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya ('nānā arthaḥ'); Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• bhramaḥ: delusion/error
• bhramaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrama (भ्रम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; in apposition/explanation of 'nānā-arthaḥ'

• saḥ: that/it
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; refers to 'bhramaḥ'

• guṇa-doṣa-bhāk: partaking of good and bad qualities
• guṇa-doṣa-bhāk: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇa (गुण) + doṣa (दोष) + bhāj (भाज् धातु) > bhāk (भाक्)
• Form: Dvandva within first member (guṇa-doṣa = 'qualities and faults') + bahuvrīhi-like adjectival formation with bhāk ('partaking'); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifies 'saḥ/bhramaḥ'

• karma-akarma-vikarma: (ideas of) action, inaction, and wrong action
• karma-akarma-vikarma: Karma (कर्म: object of conceptualization)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (कर्मन्) + akarma (अकर्मन्) + vikarma (विकर्मन्)
• Form: Dvandva (समाहार/इतरेतर): 'karma ca akarma ca vikarma ca'; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular (as a collective)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात) marking 'thus'

• guṇa-doṣa-dhiyaḥ: of the notion of merit and fault
• guṇa-doṣa-dhiyaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध: of the notion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (गुण) + doṣa (दोष) + dhi (धि/धी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'guṇa-doṣayoḥ dhīḥ'); Feminine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

• bhidā: division/differentiation
• bhidā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhidā (भिदा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; predicate noun: 'is a division'

Purport

The illusory mental platform of existence is described in this verse. The word ayuktasya indicates the conditioned soul who does not fix his mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is clearly described in Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature that Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, is within everything, and everything is within the Lord. The example may be given that when a woman loves a man, she is most eager to see him, and she daily sees him dressed in different clothes. Actually the woman is interested not in the clothes but in the man. Similarly, within every material object is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore one who has developed love of God is constantly seeing the Lord everywhere, and not just the superficial material objects that cover the Lord.

Characters & Entities

• Dattātreya (Avadhūta)
• King Yadu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about karma, akarma, and vikarma?

This verse explains that when the mind is undisciplined, one becomes confused and judges life through material notions of good and bad, dividing actions into karma (prescribed), akarma (non-binding/non-action), and vikarma (sinful).

Why did Dattatreya (the Avadhuta) speak about delusion to King Yadu?

King Yadu inquired about the Avadhuta’s wisdom and freedom; Dattatreya replied that bondage begins with an unyoked mind that creates delusion and moral dualities based on the guṇas, whereas spiritual clarity leads beyond such confusion.

Practical application: how can I avoid confusion about right and wrong actions?

Train the mind through self-discipline and spiritual alignment (yoga/bhakti), so decisions are not driven by restless material judgment; clarity reduces impulsive vikarma and supports steady, purified action.