Shloka 17

Kapila Describes Bhakti-Saturated Aṣṭāṅga-Yoga and Meditation on the Lord’s Form

Devanagari script

अपीच्यदर्शनं शश्वत्सर्वलोकनमस्कृतम् । सन्तं वयसि कैशोरे भृत्यानुग्रहकातरम् ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

apīcya-darśanaṁ śaśvat sarva-loka-namaskṛtam santaṁ vayasi kaiśore bhṛtyānugraha-kātaram

Translation

ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਸਦਾ ਹੀ ਅਤਿ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਸਭ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਵਸਨੀਕਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਵੰਦਨੀਯ ਹਨ। ਉਹ ਨਿੱਤ ਕੈਸ਼ੋਰ-ਯੌਵਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਥਿਤ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਭਗਤਾਂ ‘ਤੇ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਸਦਾ ਉਤਸੁਕ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ।

Synonyms

• apīcya: very charming
• apīcya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apīcya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifier in compound

• darśanam: appearance/vision
• darśanam: Karma (कर्म) / Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: darśana (प्रातिपदिक; √dṛś धातु + lyuṭ)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: apīcya-darśana = apīcyaṁ darśanam (a charming appearance)

• śaśvat: always
• śaśvat: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śaśvat (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-प्रयोग)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)

• sarva: all
• sarva: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga/napuṁsakaliṅga-sādhāraṇa, stem in compound

• loka: worlds/people
• loka: Upapada (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, stem in compound

• namaskṛtam: saluted by all
• namaskṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: namas-√kṛ (कृ धातु) + kta → namaskṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; kta-participle; tatpuruṣa: sarva-loka-namaskṛta = sarvaiḥ lokaiḥ namaskṛtaḥ (saluted by all worlds)

• santam: being (present)
• santam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √as (अस् धातु) + śatṛ → sat (कृदन्त)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; present participle used adjectivally (सत् = being/existing)

• vayasi: in age
• vayasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vayas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana

• kaiśore: in adolescence
• kaiśore: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaiśora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; apposition to vayasi

• bhṛtya: servants
• bhṛtya: Upapada (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, stem in compound

• anugraha: favor/grace
• anugraha: Upapada (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anugraha (प्रातिपदिक; anu-√grah धातु + ghaÑ)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, stem in compound

• kātaram: eager to bestow grace on servants
• kātaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kātara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: bhṛtya-anugraha-kātara = bhṛtyānugrahe kātaraḥ (eager/solicitous to show grace to servants)

Purport

The word sarva-loka-namaskṛtam means that He is worshipable by everyone on every planet. There are innumerable planets in the material world and innumerable planets in the spiritual world as well. On each planet there are innumerable inhabitants who worship the Lord, for the Lord is worshipable by all but the impersonalists. The Supreme Lord is very beautiful. The word śaśvat is significant. It is not that He appears beautiful to the devotees but is ultimately impersonal. Śaśvat means “ever existing.” That beauty is not temporary. It is ever existing — He is always youthful. In the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.33) it is also stated: advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca. He is one without a second, yet although He is the original person, He never appears old: He always appears as an ever-fresh, blooming youth.

Characters & Entities

• Kapila-deva
• Devahūti

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord being beyond ordinary sight (adarśanam)?

This verse says the Lord is not perceived by mundane vision, yet He is eternally worshiped by all beings; He becomes truly ‘seen’ through devotion and proper meditation.

Why does Kapila-deva describe the Lord as youthful and compassionate to His servants?

Kapila is guiding Devahūti’s meditation: one should contemplate the Lord’s auspicious form and character—especially His tender eagerness to bless devotees—because this awakens loving devotion.

Practical application: how can I experience the Lord who is ‘beyond sight’ in daily life?

Practice steady bhakti—hearing, chanting, and meditating on the Lord’s form and mercy—so perception shifts from material seeing to devotional realization.