Shloka 6

Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Meets Lord Śiva: Devotee as Living Tīrtha and the Lord’s Māyā

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच नैवेच्छत्याशिष: क्‍वापि ब्रह्मर्षिर्मोक्षमप्युत । भक्तिं परां भगवति लब्धवान् पुरुषेऽव्यये ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-bhagavān uvāca naivecchaty āśiṣaḥ kvāpi brahmarṣir mokṣam apy uta bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati labdhavān puruṣe ’vyaye

Translation

ശ്രീഭഗവാൻ (ശിവൻ) പറഞ്ഞു—ഈ ബ്രഹ്മർഷി യാതൊരു വരവും ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നില്ല, മോക്ഷവും പോലും അല്ല; കാരണം അവ്യയ പുരുഷോത്തമ ഭഗവാനിൽ പരമഭക്തി അവൻ നേടിയിരിക്കുന്നു।

Synonyms

• śrī-bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• śrī-bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana; honorific karmadhāraya

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (negation particle)

• eva: indeed, at all
• eva: Sambandha-bodhaka (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (emphatic particle)

• icchati: desires
• icchati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• āśiṣaḥ: boons, blessings
• āśiṣaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• kvāpi: anywhere/ever
• kvāpi: Deśa-kāla-viśeṣaṇa (देश-काल-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva (अव्यय) + api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (adverbial indefinite: ‘anywhere/at any time’)

• brahmaṛṣiḥ: the brahmarṣi (Vedic seer)
• brahmaṛṣiḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of icchati)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: brahmaṇaḥ ṛṣiḥ (sage of Brahman/Vedic sage)

• mokṣam: liberation
• mokṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mokṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana

• api: even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle), inclusion/emphasis

• uta: indeed, also
• uta: Sambandha-bodhaka (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uta (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle), ‘and/also/indeed’

• bhaktim: devotion
• bhaktim: Karma (कर्म) (object of labdhavān)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana

• parām: supreme
• parām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana; agrees with bhaktim

• bhagavati: in the Lord
• bhagavati: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (object of devotion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (in sense ‘Bhagavān’), Saptamī (Loc. 7th), Ekavacana

• labdhavān: has obtained
• labdhavān: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु) → labdhavat (कृदन्त, भूतकृदन्त/PPP + vat)
• Form: Kṛdanta used as finite-like predicate; Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana; ‘one who has obtained’ (perfective sense)

• puruṣe: in the Person (Supreme)
• puruṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Saptamī (Loc. 7th), Ekavacana

• avyaye: imperishable
• avyaye: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Saptamī (Loc. 7th), Ekavacana; agrees with puruṣe

Purport

The words naivecchaty āśiṣaḥ kvāpi indicate that Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi was uninterested in any reward available on any planet within the universe. Nor did he want liberation, for he had achieved the Supreme Lord Himself.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmarṣi

FAQs

Does the Srimad Bhagavatam say bhakti is higher than moksha?

Yes. This verse states that a realized sage does not desire any boon—even liberation—because he has attained supreme devotion to the imperishable Supreme Lord.

Why does the brahmarṣi not ask for blessings or liberation?

Because he already possesses parā-bhakti (pure, supreme devotion) to Bhagavān, which fulfills the heart more completely than material boons or even impersonal liberation.

How can I apply this teaching of desireless devotion in modern life?

Practice devotion as an offering rather than a transaction—chant, hear, and serve with gratitude, reducing the habit of approaching spirituality only for results or rewards.