Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 25

Vibhūti-yoga in the Bhāgavata: The Lord’s Manifest Opulences and the Discipline of Control

Devanagari script

स्‍त्रीणां तु शतरूपाहं पुंसां स्वायम्भुवो मनु: । नारायणो मुनीनां च कुमारो ब्रह्मचारिणाम् ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

strīṇāṁ tu śatarūpāhaṁ puṁsāṁ svāyambhuvo manuḥ nārāyaṇo munīnāṁ ca kumāro brahmacāriṇām

Translation

സ്ത്രീകളിൽ ഞാൻ ശതരൂപ; പുരുഷന്മാരിൽ അവളുടെ ഭർത്താവ് സ്വായംഭുവ മനു. മുനികളിൽ ഞാൻ നാരായണൻ; ബ്രഹ്മചാരികളിൽ സനത്കുമാരൻ.

Synonyms

• strīṇām: of women
• strīṇām: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• tu: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• śatarūpā: Satarupa
• śatarūpā: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatarūpā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• puṁsām: of men
• puṁsām: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pums (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• svāyambhuvaḥ: son of Svayambhu
• svāyambhuvaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svāyambhuva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• manuḥ: Manu
• manuḥ: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Narayana
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• munīnām: of sages
• munīnām: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• kumāraḥ: Sanat-kumara
• kumāraḥ: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• brahmacāriṇām: of celibates
• brahmacāriṇām: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmacārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

Characters & Entities

• Śatarūpā
• Svāyambhuva Manu
• Nārāyaṇa
• Kumāra (Sanat-kumāra)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s vibhutis (divine opulences) in Canto 11?

In Canto 11, Krishna teaches Uddhava that His presence can be recognized through the greatest exemplars in each category—here, Śatarūpā among women, Svāyambhuva Manu among men, Nārāyaṇa among sages, and Kumāra among brahmacārīs.

Why did Krishna say this to Uddhava in the Uddhava Gita?

Krishna is instructing Uddhava on how to perceive the Supreme Lord everywhere by contemplating His vibhutis—those outstanding beings through whom divine qualities are most clearly manifested.

How can I apply this teaching in modern life?

Train the mind to remember God by honoring excellence rooted in virtue—leadership guided by dharma (Manu), purity and restraint (Kumāra), wisdom and austerity (Nārāyaṇa), and noble character (Śatarūpā)—and let that remembrance deepen devotion.