Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 28

Bhakti as the Easy and Supreme Yoga: Seeing Kṛṣṇa in All and Uddhava’s Departure to Badarikāśrama

Devanagari script

य एतच्छ्रद्धया नित्यमव्यग्र: श‍ृणुयान्नर: । मयि भक्तिं परां कुर्वन् कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

ya etac chraddhayā nityam avyagraḥ śṛṇuyān naraḥ mayi bhaktiṁ parāṁ kurvan karmabhir na sa badhyate

Translation

ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ, ചിതറാത്ത മനസ്സോടെ, നിത്യമായി ഈ ജ്ഞാനം ശ്രവിക്കുകയും എന്നിൽ പരമഭക്തി അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ കർമ്മബന്ധനങ്ങളിൽ കുടുങ്ങുകയില്ല.

Synonyms

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• एतत्: this (teaching)
• एतत्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अव्यग्रः: undistracted
• अव्यग्रः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; qualifies नरः/यः

• शृणुयात्: should listen
• शृणुयात्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘should listen’

• नरः: a man
• नरः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; apposition to यः

• मयि: in me
• मयि: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• भक्तिम्: devotion
• भक्तिम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifies भक्तिम्

• कुर्वन्: doing, cultivating
• कुर्वन्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agent participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), परस्मैपदी, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; agrees with नरः/सः

• कर्मभिः: by actions
• कर्मभिः: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: निपात (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• बध्यते: is bound
• बध्यते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; passive sense ‘is bound’

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

How does Srimad Bhagavatam say one becomes free from karma while still acting?

By hearing the Lord’s teachings with faith and an undistracted mind, and by cultivating supreme devotion to Krishna; then actions no longer bind one in karma.

Why does Krishna emphasize hearing (śravaṇam) with faith in Canto 11?

Because faithful, attentive hearing internalizes divine instruction and awakens pure bhakti, which neutralizes karmic bondage even amid worldly duties.

How can I apply this verse in modern life with work and responsibilities?

Set a daily practice of focused hearing/reading of Bhagavatam with faith, and offer your work to Krishna through devotion; this transforms action into non-binding service.