Shloka 49

Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Tested by Indra and Blessed by Nara-Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

यद्दर्शनं निगम आत्मरह:प्रकाशं मुह्यन्ति यत्र कवयोऽजपरा यतन्त: । तं सर्ववादविषयप्रतिरूपशीलं वन्दे महापुरुषमात्मनिगूढबोधम् ॥ ४९ ॥

Transliteration

yad-darśanaṁ nigama ātma-rahaḥ-prakāśaṁ muhyanti yatra kavayo ’ja-parā yatantaḥ taṁ sarva-vāda-viṣaya-pratirūpa-śīlaṁ vande mahā-puruṣam ātma-nigūḍha-bodham

Translation

ഹേ പ്രഭോ! നിങ്ങളുടെ ദർശനം നിഗമങ്ങളിൽ മാത്രമേ ആത്മരഹസ്യം പ്രകാശിപ്പിക്കൂ; അവിടെ ബ്രഹ്മാദി മഹാകവികളും തർക്കപ്രയത്നത്തിൽ മോഹിതരാകുന്നു. ഓരോ വാദിയും തന്റെ കൽപ്പിതനിഗമനപ്രകാരം നിങ്ങളെ ഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു; ദേഹാഭിമാനമാൽ മറഞ്ഞ ഗൂഢജ്ഞാനമുള്ള ആ മഹാപുരുഷനെ ഞാൻ വന്ദിക്കുന്നു.

Synonyms

• yat-darśanam: whose vision/manifestation
• yat-darśanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘यस्य दर्शनम्’

• nigamaḥ: the Veda/scripture
• nigamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nigama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ātma-rahaḥ-prakāśam: revealing the secret of the Self
• ātma-rahaḥ-prakāśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + rahaḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + prakāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुष (बहु-षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध) ‘आत्मनः रहस्यस्य प्रकाशम्’ विशेषणम् (निगमम्)

• muhyanti: are bewildered
• muhyanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muh (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada

• yatra: wherein
• yatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative adverb (सम्बन्ध-अव्यय) ‘where/in which’

• kavayaḥ: sages/poets
• kavayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kavi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• aja-parāḥ: for whom the Unborn is supreme
• aja-parāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; समासः—कर्मधारय ‘अजः परः’ = ‘the Unborn is supreme (for whom)’; बहुवचनं कवयः इति विशेषणम्

• yatantaḥ: striving
• yatantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yat (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Plural; ‘striving’

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; सर्वनाम

• sarva-vāda-viṣaya-pratirūpa-śīlam: whose nature matches all doctrinal subjects
• sarva-vāda-viṣaya-pratirūpa-śīlam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + vāda (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣaya (प्रातिपदिक) + pratirūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘सर्वेषां वादानां विषयेषु प्रतिरूपं शीलं यस्य’ (अर्थतः सर्ववाद-विषयेषु अनुरूपस्वभावः)

• vande: I worship/salute
• vande: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vand (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular, Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• mahā-puruṣam: the Great Person
• mahā-puruṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समासः—कर्मधारय ‘महान् पुरुषः’

• ātma-nigūḍha-bodham: whose knowledge is hidden within the Self
• ātma-nigūḍha-bodham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + nigūḍha (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + bodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुष ‘आत्मनि निगूढः बोधः यस्य’

Purport

Even great demigods like Brahmā are bewildered in their speculative attempts to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Each philosopher is covered by a unique combination of the modes of nature and thus describes the Supreme Truth according to his own material conditioning. Therefore even strenuous empirical endeavor will never bring one to the conclusion of all knowledge. The highest knowledge is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one can understand Him only by fully surrendering to Him and serving Him with love. This is why Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi states here, vande mahā-puruṣam: “I simply worship that Supreme Personality.” Those who try to worship God but at the same time continue speculating or acting fruitively will attain only mixed and bewildering results. To be pure a devotee must give up all fruitive activity and mental speculation; in that way his loving service to the Lord will yield perfect knowledge of the Supreme. Only this perfection can satisfy the eternal soul.

Characters & Entities

• Mahā-puruṣa (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about why the Supreme Lord is hard to understand?

This verse says that even vigilant sages striving intensely can become bewildered when trying to comprehend the Mahā-puruṣa, because His true knowledge remains hidden within Himself despite being the self-effulgent truth indicated by the Vedas.

Why does the Bhagavatam say the Lord appears according to different philosophies (vādas)?

The verse indicates that the Lord can be approached and described in ways that correspond to various doctrines, yet He is not exhausted by any one system—His complete reality transcends all conceptual frameworks.

How can I apply this teaching in modern spiritual practice?

Approach scripture and philosophy with humility, and prioritize bhakti—reverent worship and surrender—recognizing that God is ultimately realized by devotion and grace, not merely by intellectual effort.