Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 42

The Song of the Avantī Brāhmaṇa (Avanti-brāhmaṇa-gītā): Mind as the Root of Suffering and Equanimity Amid Insult

Devanagari script

द्विज उवाच नायं जनो मे सुखदु:खहेतु- र्न देवतात्मा ग्रहकर्मकाला: । मन: परं कारणमामनन्ति संसारचक्रं परिवर्तयेद् यत् ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

dvija uvāca nāyaṁ jano me sukha-duḥkha-hetur na devatātmā graha-karma-kālāḥ manaḥ paraṁ kāraṇam āmananti saṁsāra-cakraṁ parivartayed yat

Translation

Brahmana itu berkata: Orang-orang ini bukan punca bahagia dan dukaku. Bukan juga para dewa, tubuhku, planet-planet, karmaku, atau waktu. Sesungguhnya hanya minda itulah sebab utama yang memutar roda saṁsāra.

Synonyms

• द्विजः: the brāhmaṇa (twice-born)
• द्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जनः: person/people
• जनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive) एकवचन; enclitic form

• सुख-दुःख-हेतुः: cause of pleasure and pain
• सुख-दुःख-हेतुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: द्वन्द्व (सुख-दुःख) + तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी: “of pleasure and pain” + हेतु)

• न: nor/not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• देवतात्मा: the deity (as controller)
• देवतात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवतā (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: “whose self is deity/daiva”)

• ग्रह-कर्म-कालाः: planets, karma, and time
• ग्रह-कर्म-कालाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (the planets, karma, and time)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परम्: supreme/primary
• परम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (kāraṇam)

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आमनन्ति: they declare/teach
• आमनन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• संसार-चक्रम्: the wheel of transmigration
• संसार-चक्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: “wheel of saṁsāra”)

• परिवर्तयेत्: would turn/sets in motion
• परिवर्तयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-वृत्/वर्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense in context “would make turn/causes to revolve”

• यत्: which/that (by which)
• यत्: Hetu (हेतु/निमित्त)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative) referring to mind as that which turns the wheel

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say is the real cause of happiness and distress?

This verse teaches that the mind is the primary cause; blaming people, demigods, planets, karma, or time misses the root—mental identification and agitation keep saṁsāra turning.

Why does the Avadhuta Brāhmaṇa deny that karma, time, or the planets are the cause?

He emphasizes inner responsibility: external factors may appear influential, but the mind’s acceptance, rejection, attachment, and aversion are what actually generate one’s felt experience and bondage.

How can I apply this Bhagavatam teaching about the mind in modern life?

Practice observing thoughts without immediate reaction, reduce blame and resentment, and cultivate devotion and steadiness—training the mind breaks the cycle of repeated anxiety and dissatisfaction.