Shloka 18

Brahmā’s Prayers to Lord Nārāyaṇa and the Lord’s Empowering Instructions for Creation

Devanagari script

यस्माद्‌बिभेम्यहमपि द्विपरार्धधिष्ण्य- मध्यासित: सकललोकनमस्कृतं यत् । तेपे तपो बहुसवोऽवरुरुत्समान- स्तस्मै नमो भगवतेऽधिमखाय तुभ्यम् ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

yasmād bibhemy aham api dviparārdha-dhiṣṇyam adhyāsitaḥ sakala-loka-namaskṛtaṁ yat tepe tapo bahu-savo ’varurutsamānas tasmai namo bhagavate ’dhimakhāya tubhyam

Translation

ਹੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਦੋ ਪਰਾਰਧ ਤੱਕ ਟਿਕਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਧਾਮ ਵਿੱਚ ਬੈਠਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਵੀ ਮੈਂ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਤੋਂ ਭੈ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ; ਮੇਰਾ ਪਦ ਸਭ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਯੋਗ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਆਤਮ-ਸਾਕਸ਼ਾਤਕਾਰ ਲਈ ਮੈਂ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਾਲ ਤਪ ਕੀਤਾ—ਤਾਂ ਵੀ, ਹੇ ਯਜ੍ਞ-ਭੋਗਤਾ, ਹੇ ਅਥਕ ਕਾਲ-ਸਰੂਪ ਭਗਵਾਨ, ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਸਾਦਰ ਨਮਸਕਾਰ।

Synonyms

• yasmāt: from whom; because of whom
• yasmāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular; relative pronoun

• bibhemi: I fear
• bibhemi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhī (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अपि)

• dviparārdha-dhiṣṇyam: the abode spanning two parārdhas
• dviparārdha-dhiṣṇyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi (संख्या) + parārdha (प्रातिपदिक) + dhiṣṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘seat/abode (dhiṣṇya) of two parārdhas (a vast time-span)’

• adhyāsitaḥ: seated upon
• adhyāsitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-ās (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; ‘having been seated/installed upon’

• sakala-loka-namaskṛtam: revered by all worlds
• sakala-loka-namaskṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sakala (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक) + namaskṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘revered (namaskṛta) by all worlds/people’; agrees with ‘dhiṣṇyam’

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular; relative pronoun referring to ‘dhiṣṇyam’

• tepe: performed austerity; heated (himself)
• tepe: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• bahu-savaḥ: with many efforts
• bahu-savaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक) + sava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; karmadhāraya ‘having many impulses/efforts’ (bahu-sava)

• avarurutsamānaḥ: restraining (himself)
• avarurutsamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√rudh (धातु)
• Form: Present participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; ‘restraining/holding back (himself)’

• tasmai: to him
• tasmai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular

• namaḥ: obeisance
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/namaskāra)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable interjection used with dative

• bhagavate: to the Lord
• bhagavate: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular

• adhimakhāya: to Adhimakha
• adhimakhāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhimakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular; epithet ‘the supreme sacrifice / lord of sacrifice’

• tubhyam: to you
• tubhyam: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Second person pronoun; Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular

Purport

Brahmā is the greatest personality in the universe because he has the longest duration of life. He is the most respectable personality because of his penance, influence, prestige, etc., and still he has to offer his respectful obeisances unto the Lord. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all others, who are far, far below the standard of Brahmā, to do as he did and offer respects as a matter of duty.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Bhagavān (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Brahmā’s humility and fear of the Supreme Lord?

This verse shows Brahmā admitting that despite his cosmic position and universal reverence, he still fears the Supreme Lord’s majesty—highlighting that true greatness is humble devotion before Bhagavān.

Why does Brahmā call the Lord “Adhimakha” (master of sacrifice) in Canto 3?

Brahmā addresses the Lord as Adhimakha because all yajña ultimately belongs to and is directed by the Supreme; the Lord is the inner enjoyer and ruler of sacrifice, beyond the demigods and cosmic administrators.

Practical application of tapas (austerity) from this shloka in modern life?

The verse teaches disciplined restraint—reducing distractions and ego—so one can focus the mind on devotion, study, prayer, and service, offering one’s daily work as a form of yajña to the Lord.