Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 5

The Six Dvīpas Beyond Jambūdvīpa and the Cosmic Boundary of Lokāloka

Devanagari script

प्रत्नस्य विष्णो रूपं यत्सत्यस्यर्तस्य ब्रह्मण: । अमृतस्य च मृत्योश्च सूर्यमात्मानमीमहीति ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

pratnasya viṣṇo rūpaṁ yat satyasyartasya brahmaṇaḥ amṛtasya ca mṛtyoś ca sūryam ātmānam īmahīti

Translation

ପ୍ରାଚୀନତମ ବିଷ୍ଣୁଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତିରୂପ, ସତ୍ୟ-ଋତ-ବେଦବ୍ରହ୍ମର ଏବଂ ଅମୃତ-ମୃତ୍ୟୁର ମଧ୍ୟ ଅଧିଷ୍ଠାନ ଯେ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ—ସେହି ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟରୂପ ଆତ୍ମା-ଭଗବାନଙ୍କୁ ଆମେ ଧ୍ୟାନ କରି ଶରଣ ନେଉ।

Synonyms

• plakṣādiṣu: in Plakṣa and the others
• plakṣādiṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: plakṣa + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th), Plural; ‘in Plakṣa etc. (dvīpas)’

• pañcasu: in the five
• pañcasu: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative (7th), Plural; numeral qualifying (dvīpeṣu) understood

• puruṣāṇām: of the people
• puruṣāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Plural

• āyuḥ: lifespan
• āyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1st), Singular; item in list

• indriyam: sense-power
• indriyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1st), Singular; item in list

• ojaḥ: vigor
• ojaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ojas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1st), Singular; item in list

• sahaḥ: endurance
• sahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1st), Singular; item in list

• balam: strength
• balam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1st), Singular; item in list

• buddhiḥ: intellect
• buddhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; item in list

• vikramaḥ: valor/stride
• vikramaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; item in list

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle ending enumeration

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

• sarveṣām: of all (of them)
• sarveṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th), Plural

• autpattikī: innate/inborn
• autpattikī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: autpattikī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; qualifies siddhiḥ

• siddhiḥ: attainment/condition
• siddhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• aviśeṣeṇa: without distinction, uniformly
• aviśeṣeṇa: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: a-viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya formed with -eṇa; adverbial instrumental sense

• vartate: exists/prevails
• vartate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Singular; Ātmanepada

Purport

Lord Viṣṇu is even the Supreme Lord of death, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā ( mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham ). There are two kinds of activity — auspicious and inauspicious — and both are controlled by Lord Viṣṇu. Inauspicious activities are said to be behind Lord Viṣṇu, whereas auspicious activities stand before Him. The auspicious and the inauspicious exist throughout the entire world, and Lord Viṣṇu is the controller of them both.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Sūrya (Sun-god)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Sun being a form of Vishnu?

In Bhagavatam 5.20.5, the Sun is praised as the ancient form of Lord Viṣṇu and meditated upon as the Self, indicating the Sun’s divine function as a manifestation of the Lord’s cosmic governance.

Why does Shukadeva Goswami describe Surya with terms like satya and rita?

Because the Sun embodies and reveals cosmic order—regular time, seasons, and dharma-supporting rhythms—thus representing satya (truth) and ṛta (universal law) within the created universe.

How can this verse be applied in modern life?

By cultivating daily remembrance that time and life’s changes are governed by a higher order, one can live with discipline, gratitude, and devotion—seeing the Lord’s presence even in the natural forces that sustain life.