Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 6

Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Tested by Indra and Blessed by Nara-Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच प्रश्न‍स्त्वया महर्षेऽयं कृतो लोकभ्रमापह: । नारायणकथा यत्र गीता कलिमलापहा ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

sūta uvāca praśnas tvayā maharṣe ’yaṁ kṛto loka-bhramāpahaḥ nārāyaṇa-kathā yatra gītā kali-malāpahā

Translation

സൂതൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ മഹർഷി ശൗനക, നിങ്ങൾ ചോദിച്ച ഈ ചോദ്യം ലോകത്തിന്റെ ഭ്രമം അകറ്റുന്നതാണ്; കാരണം ഇതിലൂടെ നാരായണന്റെ കഥ പ്രസ്തുതമാകുന്നു, അത് കലിയുഗത്തിന്റെ മലിനത നീക്കുന്നു.

Synonyms

• sūtaḥ: Sūta
• sūtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• praśnaḥ: question
• praśnaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praśna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; 2nd person pronoun

• maharṣe: O great sage
• maharṣe: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maharṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• ayam: this
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; demonstrative

• kṛtaḥ: made/posed
• kṛtaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) → kṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘made/asked’

• loka-bhrama-apahaḥ: removing the world’s delusion
• loka-bhrama-apahaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + bhrama (प्रातिपदिक) + apaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहु-षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुषार्थ: ‘लोकस्य भ्रमस्य अपहः’ (remover of worldly delusion)

• nārāyaṇa-kathā: the narration of Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇa-kathā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘नारायणस्य कथा’

• yatra: wherein
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सम्बन्ध/देशवाचक (relative adverb: where/wherein)

• gītā: is sung/recited
• gītā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √gai (धातु) → gīta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘sung/recited’

• kali-mala-apahā: remover of the impurity of Kali
• kali-mala-apahā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kali (प्रातिपदिक) + mala (प्रातिपदिक) + apahā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘कलिमलस्य अपहा’ (remover of Kali’s impurity)

Characters & Entities

• Suta Gosvami
• Maharshi (the sage addressed, i.e., Shaunaka)

FAQs

How does Srimad Bhagavatam help in Kali Yuga according to this verse?

It teaches that narrations of Nārāyaṇa, when recited and heard, remove the impurity and contamination of Kali-yuga (kali-mala).

Why does Suta Gosvami praise the sage’s question as ‘loka-bhramāpaha’?

Because the question leads to Nārāyaṇa-kathā, which clears worldly delusion and guides listeners toward spiritual clarity and devotion.

What is a practical way to apply ‘Narayana-katha’ in modern life?

Regularly hear or read Srimad Bhagavatam with attention and devotion, making sacred hearing (śravaṇam) a daily practice to counter confusion and negativity.