Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 63

Bhāgavata-Māhātmya and the Complete Summary of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Devanagari script

ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि द्विजोऽधीत्यानुविन्दते । मधुकुल्या घृतकुल्या: पय:कुल्याश्च तत्फलम् ॥ ६३ ॥

Transliteration

ṛco yajūṁṣi sāmāni dvijo ’dhītyānuvindate madhu-kulyā ghṛta-kulyāḥ payaḥ-kulyāś ca tat phalam

Translation

ಋಗ್, ಯಜುರ್ ಮತ್ತು ಸಾಮವೇದ ಮಂತ್ರಗಳನ್ನು ಅಧ್ಯಯನ ಮಾಡಿದ ಫಲವೇನು, ಅದೇ ಫಲವನ್ನು ಭಾಗವತ ಅಧ್ಯಯನದಿಂದಲೂ ದ್ವಿಜನು ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಾನೆ—ಹೇನಿನ, ತುಪ್ಪದ ಮತ್ತು ಹಾಲಿನ ನದಿಗಳಂತೆ.

Synonyms

• ṛcaḥ: Ṛg-verses (Ṛgveda hymns)
• ṛcaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• yajūṁṣi: Yajus-formulas (Yajurveda)
• yajūṁṣi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• sāmāni: Sāman-chants (Sāmaveda)
• sāmāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• dvijaḥ: a twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• dvijaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Nominative (1st), Singular

• adhītya: having studied
• adhītya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-i (अधि-इ धातु; ‘to study’)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having studied’

• anuvindate: obtains/finds
• anuvindate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-vid (अनु-विद् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Singular; Ātmanepada

• madhu-kulyāḥ: streams of honey
• madhu-kulyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu (प्रातिपदिक) + kulyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Nominative (1st), Plural; samāsa: madhu-kulyā (तत्पुरुष, ‘streams of honey’)

• ghṛta-kulyāḥ: streams of ghee
• ghṛta-kulyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + kulyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Nominative, Plural; samāsa: ghṛta-kulyā (तत्पुरुष, ‘streams of ghee’)

• payaḥ-kulyāḥ: streams of milk
• payaḥ-kulyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: payas (प्रातिपदिक) + kulyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Nominative, Plural; samāsa: payaḥ-kulyā (तत्पुरुष, ‘streams of milk’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samucchaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1st), Singular; demonstrative used adjectivally qualifying phalam

• phalam: fruit/result
• phalam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1st), Singular

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the results of studying the Vedas?

In this verse, Śukadeva states that a brāhmaṇa who studies the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas gains the described fruit—symbolically expressed as streams of honey, ghee, and milk.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī mention honey, ghee, and milk as the fruit of Vedic study?

He presents a traditional phala-śruti style result, using images of abundance and purity (honey, ghee, milk) to indicate the auspicious rewards attributed to proper Vedic learning.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life by a devotee of Krishna?

It encourages disciplined study and reverence for śāstra; a devotee can apply it by regularly learning authentic scriptures and using that learning to cultivate purity, gratitude, and devotion.