Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 12

Bhakti as the Supreme Process; Detachment and the Rudiments of Meditation

Devanagari script

मय्यर्पितात्मन: सभ्य निरपेक्षस्य सर्वत: । मयात्मना सुखं यत्तत् कुत: स्याद् विषयात्मनाम् ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

mayy arpitātmanaḥ sabhya nirapekṣasya sarvataḥ mayātmanā sukhaṁ yat tat kutaḥ syād viṣayātmanām

Translation

ໂອ ອຸດທະວະ ຜູ້ຮູ້! ຜູ້ທີ່ອຸທິດຈິດໃຫ້ແກ່ເຮົາ ແລະບໍ່ພຶງພາຄວາມປາຖະໜາໃດໆ ຍ່ອມຮ່ວມກັບເຮົາໃນສຸກແຫ່ງອາຕະມັນ; ຜູ້ຫມົກມຸ່ນໃນກາມຄຸນຈະໄດ້ຢ່າງໃດ?

Synonyms

• mayi: in me
• mayi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• arpita-ātmanaḥ: of one whose self is offered (to me)
• arpita-ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arpita (कृदन्त; √arp/arpay ‘अर्पणे’) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); ‘अर्पित’ = भूतकृदन्त/कर्मणि क्त (past passive participle), समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

• sabhya: O noble one / O gentleman
• sabhya: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sabhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• nirapekṣasya: of the independent / non-dependent
• nirapekṣasya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirapekṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• sarvataḥ: from all sides / in every way
• sarvataḥ: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), प्रकार/देश-अव्यय (adverb of manner/direction)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ātmanā: by the self
• ātmanā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• sukham: happiness
• sukham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• yat: which
• yat: Anuyogī (अनुयोगी; relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• tat: that
• tat: Pratiyogī (प्रतियोगी; correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• kutaḥ: from where? / how?
• kutaḥ: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• syāt: could be / would arise
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्; धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• viṣaya-ātmanām: of those whose self is (fixed on) sense-objects
• viṣaya-ātmanām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣaya (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

Purport

The actual purport of Vedic knowledge is explained in this verse. The word viṣayātmanām includes those who are cultivating material peace of mind, self-control and speculative philosophy. But even if such persons rise to the platform of sattva-guṇa, the mode of goodness, they do not attain perfection, because sattva-guṇa, being material, is also part and parcel of māyā, or illusion. As stated by Śrī Nārada Muni:

Characters & Entities

• Uddhava
• Krishna (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about real happiness versus sense pleasure?

This verse says true happiness comes when one offers oneself to Kṛṣṇa and lives with Him as the very Self; those absorbed in sense-objects cannot access that higher, inward joy.

Why did Krishna say this to Uddhava in Canto 11?

Kṛṣṇa is instructing Uddhava on renunciation and bhakti, explaining that freedom from dependence on external objects is essential for experiencing the Lord-centered happiness of devotion.

How can I apply this teaching in modern life?

Reduce dependence on constant sensory stimulation, cultivate daily remembrance and offering of actions to Kṛṣṇa, and seek fulfillment through devotion and inner steadiness rather than external consumption.