Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 32

Brahmā’s Day, the Four Pralayas, and the Supreme Shelter Beyond Cause–Effect

Devanagari script

यथा घनोऽर्कप्रभवोऽर्कदर्शितो ह्यर्कांशभूतस्य च चक्षुषस्तम: । एवं त्वहं ब्रह्मगुणस्तदीक्षितो ब्रह्मांशकस्यात्मन आत्मबन्धन: ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

yathā ghano ’rka-prabhavo ’rka-darśito hy arkāṁśa-bhūtasya ca cakṣuṣas tamaḥ evaṁ tv ahaṁ brahma-guṇas tad-īkṣito brahmāṁśakasyātmana ātma-bandhanaḥ

Translation

ଯେପରି ମେଘ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟରୁ ଉତ୍ପନ୍ନ ହୋଇ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଦୃଶ୍ୟ ହୁଏ, ତଥାପି ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟର ଅଂଶରୂପ ଚକ୍ଷୁ ପାଇଁ ଅନ୍ଧକାର ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରେ; ସେହିପରି ବ୍ରହ୍ମରୁ ଉତ୍ପନ୍ନ ଏବଂ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଦୃଶ୍ୟ ଭୌତିକ ଅହଙ୍କାର, ବ୍ରହ୍ମାଂଶ ଜୀବାତ୍ମାକୁ ପରବ୍ରହ୍ମ ସାକ୍ଷାତ୍କାରରୁ ଅବରୋଧ କରେ।

Synonyms

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक (indeclinable; ‘as’)

• ghanaḥ: a cloud
• ghanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (masculine; nominative singular)

• arka-prabhavaḥ: born from the sun
• arka-prabhavaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arka (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (masculine; nominative singular); पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (determinative: ‘arising from the sun’)

• arka-darśitaḥ: made visible by the sun
• arka-darśitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arka (प्रातिपदिक) + darśita (कृदन्त, √dṛś)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (masculine; nominative singular); भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘shown/manifested’; तत्पुरुषः (‘shown by the sun’)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• arkāṁśa-bhūtasya: of that which has become a ray of the sun
• arkāṁśa-bhūtasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arka-aṁśa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (कृदन्त, √bhū)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन (genitive singular); भूतकृदन्त ‘become’; तत्पुरुषः (‘become a ray of the sun’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction ‘and’)

• cakṣuṣaḥ: of the eye
• cakṣuṣaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन (neuter; genitive singular)

• tamaḥ: darkness
• tamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (neuter; nominative/accusative singular)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (particle ‘but/indeed’)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (pronoun; nominative singular)

• brahma-guṇaḥ: having Brahman as (its) quality
• brahma-guṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (masculine; nominative singular); तत्पुरुषः (‘having the quality of Brahman / constituted of Brahman’s guṇas’)

• tat-īkṣitaḥ: seen/illumined by That (Brahman)
• tat-īkṣitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣita (कृदन्त, √īkṣ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (masculine; nominative singular); भूतकृदन्त (PPP) ‘seen/observed’; तत्पुरुषः (‘seen by that/He’)

• brahmāṁśakasya: of (one who is) a portion of Brahman
• brahmāṁśakasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + aṁśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन (masculine; genitive singular); तत्पुरुषः (‘of one who is a portion of Brahman’)

• ātmanaḥ: of the self
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन (masculine; genitive singular)

• ātma-bandhanaḥ: self-bondage
• ātma-bandhanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + bandhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (masculine; nominative singular); तत्पुरुषः (‘bondage of the self’ / ‘self-bondage’)

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Mahārāja Parīkṣit

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about māyā being both dependent on God and still causing bondage?

This verse compares māyā to a cloud: it arises from the Supreme and is known only by His light, yet it obscures the jīva’s vision and becomes the cause of bondage.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī speak about the cloud-and-sun analogy to Mahārāja Parīkṣit?

To clarify how ignorance can cover a tiny soul’s awareness even though everything exists by the Supreme’s power—helping Parīkṣit focus on liberation through right understanding and devotion.

Practical application of this teaching about māyā in modern life?

Recognize that confusion and ego are temporary coverings; strengthen “sunlight” through sādhana—hearing Bhāgavatam, chanting, and serving—so the mind’s cloud no longer blocks clear spiritual vision.