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Shloka 3

Transmission of Bhāgavata Wisdom and Brahmā’s Vision of the Supreme Lord on Ananta

आसीनमुर्व्यां भगवन्तमाद्यं सङ्कर्षणं देवमकुण्ठसत्त्वम् । विवित्सवस्तत्त्वमत: परस्य कुमारमुख्या मुनयोऽन्वपृच्छन् ॥ ३ ॥

āsīnam urvyāṁ bhagavantam ādyaṁ saṅkarṣaṇaṁ devam akuṇṭha-sattvam vivitsavas tattvam ataḥ parasya kumāra-mukhyā munayo ’nvapṛcchan

Il y a quelque temps, Sanat-kumāra, le chef des saints-enfants, accompagné d’autres grands sages, désireux de connaître la vérité au sujet de Vāsudeva, le Suprême, interrogea—comme toi—avec précision le Bhagavān Saṅkarṣaṇa, le deva primordial au sattva sans entrave, assis au fond de l’univers.

āsīnamsitting
āsīnam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootāsīna (कृदन्त; √ās/आस्)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular; present active participle = ‘sitting’; qualifies ‘bhagavantam/saṅkarṣaṇam’
urvyāmon the earth
urvyām:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rooturvī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular
bhagavantamthe Blessed Lord
bhagavantam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootbhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
ādyamthe original, primeval
ādyam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootādya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifies ‘bhagavantam’
saṅkarṣaṇamSaṅkarṣaṇa
saṅkarṣaṇam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsaṅkarṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular; apposition to ‘bhagavantam’
devamthe god, the divine one
devam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootdeva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular; apposition
akuṇṭha-sattvamof unobstructed potency/nature
akuṇṭha-sattvam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootakuṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular; ‘whose nature/being is unobstructed’ or ‘unfailing potency’
vivitsavaḥdesiring to know
vivitsavaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootvivitsū (कृदन्त; desiderative from √vid/विद्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural; desiderative participle = ‘wishing to know’
tattvamthe truth, principle
tattvam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottattva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
ataḥtherefore / from him
ataḥ:
Hetu (हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootataḥ (अव्यय)
FormIndeclinable; ablatival adverb (तस्मात्/हेतोः) = ‘therefore/from him/from that’
parasyaof the Supreme
parasya:
Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular; ‘of the Supreme/other’ (here: Supreme)
kumāra-mukhyāḥthe foremost Kumāras
kumāra-mukhyāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkumāra (प्रातिपदिक) + mukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural; ‘chief among the Kumāras’
munayaḥsages
munayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmuni (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural; apposition to ‘kumāra-mukhyāḥ’
anuafter, in succession (prefix)
anu:
Upasarga (उपसर्ग)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootanu (अव्यय)
FormPreverb/particle (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) used with verb ‘apṛcchan’ as ‘anu-’
apṛcchanasked
apṛcchan:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootprach (पृच्छ् धातु)
FormImperfect/लङ्, 3rd person, Plural; Parasmaipada; with prefix anu- → ‘anvapṛcchan’

This is in clarification of the statement that the Lord spoke directly on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. When and unto whom the Bhāgavatam was spoken is explained herewith. Questions similar to those put forward by Vidura were asked by great sages like Sanat-kumāra, and Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, the plenary expansion of the Supreme Lord Vāsudeva, answered them.

L
Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa
T
The Four Kumāras

FAQs

This verse shows that genuine sages approach the Supreme Lord Himself with humility and inquiry, seeking tattva—truth that transcends material nature.

Because Saṅkarṣaṇa is described here as the original divine source with unobstructed spiritual existence, making Him the proper authority to explain the highest reality.

Cultivate sincere questions about ultimate purpose and approach authentic spiritual sources with respect, rather than relying only on material reasoning.