Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 36

Daśa-lakṣaṇam: The Ten Topics, Virāṭ-Puruṣa Sense-Manifestation, and the Supreme Shelter (Āśraya)

Devanagari script

स वाच्यवाचकतया भगवान् ब्रह्मरूपधृक् । नामरूपक्रिया धत्ते सकर्माकर्मक: पर: ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

sa vācya-vācakatayā bhagavān brahma-rūpa-dhṛk nāma-rūpa-kriyā dhatte sakarmākarmakaḥ paraḥ

Translation

Beliau, Bhagavan, menampakkan diri dalam rupa rohani sebagai sandaran nama, rupa, sifat, lila, para pengiring, dan keanekaragaman transendental-Nya; walau tak tersentuh oleh perbuatan, Ia tampak seakan terlibat di dalamnya.

Synonyms

• सः: he; that (Lord)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• वाच्य-वाचकतया: by (His) being both the expressed and the expresser
• वाच्य-वाचकतया: Hetu/Instrument (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्य + वाचक + ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धितान्त (abstract noun in -तया)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्म-रूप-धृक्: bearing the form of Brahman
• ब्रह्म-रूप-धृक्: Karta (कर्ता) विशेषण (qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + रूप + धृ (धातु) → धृक् (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; धृ-धातोः क्विप्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun: ‘holder/bearer’)

• नाम-रूप-क्रियाः: names, forms, and activities
• नाम-रूप-क्रियाः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् + रूप + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective: name, form, and activity)

• धत्ते: assumes; holds; takes on
• धत्ते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• स-कर्म-अकर्मकः: (acting) both with object and without object
• स-कर्म-अकर्मकः: Karta (कर्ता) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + कर्मन् + अकर्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण; द्वन्द्व (having both transitive and intransitive [modes])

• परः: supreme; transcendent
• परः: Karta (कर्ता) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

Purport

Whenever there is a need of material creation, the transcendental Personality of Godhead accepts forms in the material world for creation, maintenance and destruction. One should be intelligent enough to know His activities in truth and not be biased to conclude that He descends to the material world by accepting a form created by material nature. Any form accepted from the material nature has its affection for everything done in the material world. A conditioned soul who accepts a material form for undergoing a certain term of material activities is subjected to the laws of matter. But here in this verse it is clearly stated that although the forms and activities of the Lord appear to be the same as those of a conditioned soul, they are supernatural and impossible for the conditioned soul. He, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is always unaffected by such activities. In the Bhagavad-gītā (4.14) the Lord says:

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about God being both word and meaning (vācya-vācaka)?

This verse says the Supreme Lord manifests as both the signifier (sound/word) and the signified (meaning), indicating He pervades revelation, language, and the reality those words describe.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe the Lord as taking names, forms, and activities if He is transcendental?

Śukadeva explains that although the Lord is beyond material action and inaction, He freely reveals Himself through name, form, and līlā for creation, guidance, and the devotion of seekers—without being bound like a conditioned soul.

Practical application of karma and akarma teaching from this shloka in modern life?

Act responsibly while remembering the Supreme as the ultimate reality behind all roles and labels; perform duties without egoistic bondage, cultivating devotion and inner detachment.