Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 50

Varṇāśrama-dharma as a Path to Bhakti

Yuga-dharma Origins, Universal Virtues, Brahmacarya and Gṛhastha Duties

Devanagari script

वेदाध्यायस्वधास्वाहाबल्यन्नाद्यैर्यथोदयम् । देवर्षिपितृभूतानि मद्रूपाण्यन्वहं यजेत् ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

vedādhyāya-svadhā-svāhā- baly-annādyair yathodayam devarṣi-pitṛ-bhūtāni mad-rūpāṇy anv-ahaṁ yajet

Translation

Seorang gṛhastha hendaklah setiap hari memuja para resi dengan pengajian Weda, para leluhur dengan mantra svadhā, para dewa dengan ucapan svāhā, semua makhluk hidup dengan mempersembahkan bahagian makanan, dan manusia dengan memberi biji-bijian serta air. Dengan memandang para dewa, resi, leluhur, makhluk hidup dan manusia sebagai perwujudan kuasa-Ku, hendaklah dia setiap hari melaksanakan lima yajña ini.

Synonyms

• veda-adhyāya-svadhā-svāhā-bali-anna-ādyaiḥ: with Vedic study, svadhā, svāhā, offerings, food, etc.
• veda-adhyāya-svadhā-svāhā-bali-anna-ādyaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक) + svadhā (प्रातिपदिक) + svāhā (प्रातिपदिक) + bali (प्रातिपदिक) + anna (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-समाहारार्थे बहुपद-समासः; तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (instrumental plural); समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समुच्चयार्थक समासः (with Veda-study, svadhā, svāhā, offerings, food, etc.)

• yathā-udayam: according to occasion/as available
• yathā-udayam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + udaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (indeclinable adverbial compound: according to what arises/according to occasion)

• deva-ṛṣi-pitṛ-bhūtāni: the gods, sages, ancestors, and beings
• deva-ṛṣi-pitṛ-bhūtāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (devas, sages, ancestors, and beings) (accusative plural neuter)

• mat-rūpāṇi: as forms of Me
• mat-rūpāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mama rūpāṇi) (accusative plural neuter)

• anu-aham: every day
• anu-aham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anu (अव्यय) + ahan/aham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; कालवाचक अव्यय (daily/every day)

• yajet: should worship/sacrifice to
• yajet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yaj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

Purport

The Lord again discusses the duties of those in the household order of life. Obviously, the five ritualistic daily sacrifices mentioned here are meant for those who are not pure devotees of the Lord and who thus have to counteract their exploitation of material nature by the abovementioned sacrifices. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is training householders, sannyāsīs, brahmacārīs and vānaprasthas to engage twenty-four hours a day in the loving service of the Lord. Those who are full-time missionary workers in ISKCON have no further obligations or sacrifices to perform, as confirmed in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.41) :

Characters & Entities

• Uddhava
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about worshiping devas, sages, ancestors, and living beings?

In 11.17.50, Kṛṣṇa teaches that one should honor devas, ṛṣis, pitṛs, and all beings through prescribed daily offerings—seeing them all as manifestations of His own form.

Why did Krishna say this to Uddhava in Canto 11?

Kṛṣṇa is instructing Uddhava in varṇāśrama-dharma and devotional culture, showing how daily Vedic duties become bhakti when performed with the vision that all recipients are connected to—and are forms of—the Supreme Lord.

How can this verse be applied in modern life?

Keep a daily spiritual practice (study/recitation), offer food with gratitude, respect teachers and elders, care for animals and people, and cultivate the mindset that serving any living being can be service to God when done with devotion and purity.