Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 36

Priyavrata Accepts Kingship by Brahmā’s Instruction; Sapta-dvīpa Formation and Renunciation

Devanagari script

स एवमपरिमितबलपराक्रम एकदा तु देवर्षिचरणानुशयनानुपतितगुणविसर्गसंसर्गेणानिर्वृतमिवात्मानं मन्यमान आत्मनिर्वेद इदमाह ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

sa evam aparimita-bala-parākrama ekadā tu devarṣi-caraṇānuśayanānu-patita-guṇa-visarga-saṁsargeṇānirvṛtam ivātmānaṁ manyamāna ātma-nirveda idam āha.

Translation

અપરિમિત બળ અને પરાક્રમ ધરાવતા મહારાજ પ્રિયવ્રતે એક વખત વિચાર્યું કે દેવર્ષિ નારદના ચરણોમાં શરણ ગયા છતાં અને કૃષ્ણચેતનાના માર્ગ પર હોવા છતાં, ગુણપ્રવાહના સંગથી હું ફરી ભૌતિક કાર્યોમાં ગૂંથાઈ ગયો છું. તેથી મન અશાંત બન્યું અને વૈરાગ્યભાવથી તેઓ બોલવા લાગ્યા.

Synonyms

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• aparimita-bala-parākramaḥ: of immeasurable strength and valor
• aparimita-bala-parākramaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aparimita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + parākrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘अपरिमितं बलं च पराक्रमश्च यस्य’ (as descriptive epithet)

• ekadā: once
• ekadā: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ekadā (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (once)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (contrast/emphasis particle)

• devarṣi-caraṇa-anuśayana-anu-patita-guṇa-visarga-saṁsargeṇa: by the association (arising) from the flow of qualities due to service at the feet of the divine sage
• devarṣi-caraṇa-anuśayana-anu-patita-guṇa-visarga-saṁsargeṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devarṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + anuśayana (प्रातिपदिक) + anu (अव्यय) + patita (कृदन्त) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + visarga (प्रातिपदिक) + saṁsarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘देवर्षिचरणानुशयनानुपतितगुणविसर्गस्य संसर्गेण’ (by association with the outflow of qualities fallen upon him due to serving the feet of the divine sage)

• anirvṛtam: unsatisfied
• anirvṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anirvṛta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• iva: as if
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• ātmānam: himself
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• manyamānaḥ: thinking/considering
• manyamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ātma-nirvedaḥ: self-disgust (detachment)
• ātma-nirvedaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + nirveda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘आत्मनः निर्वेदः’ (self-disgust/renunciation)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• āha: said
• āha: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Purport

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.17) it is said:

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣabhadeva
• Devarṣis (divine sages)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about ātma-nirveda (inner detachment)?

This verse describes ātma-nirveda as the mood in which Ṛṣabhadeva, seeing the dissatisfaction caused by contact with the guṇas (material modes), speaks from a place of deep dispassion meant to awaken renunciation and devotion.

Why does Ṛṣabhadeva seem ‘unsatisfied’ if He is the Supreme Lord?

The verse says “as if” (iva): it indicates a teaching-līlā. Ṛṣabhadeva outwardly accepts the appearance of dissatisfaction produced by guṇa-saṅga to instruct conditioned souls about the danger of material association and the need for detachment.

Practical application: how can I avoid the dissatisfaction caused by the guṇas?

Reduce guṇa-saṅga by regulating sense life, keeping saintly association, and anchoring the mind in bhakti—hearing and chanting—so that inner contentment replaces restless material craving.