Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 36

Priyavrata Accepts Kingship by Brahmā’s Instruction; Sapta-dvīpa Formation and Renunciation

Devanagari script

स एवमपरिमितबलपराक्रम एकदा तु देवर्षिचरणानुशयनानुपतितगुणविसर्गसंसर्गेणानिर्वृतमिवात्मानं मन्यमान आत्मनिर्वेद इदमाह ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

sa evam aparimita-bala-parākrama ekadā tu devarṣi-caraṇānuśayanānu-patita-guṇa-visarga-saṁsargeṇānirvṛtam ivātmānaṁ manyamāna ātma-nirveda idam āha.

Translation

Assim, embora dotado de força e poder incomensuráveis, Mahārāja Priyavrata certa vez refletiu: apesar de ter-se rendido aos pés do devarṣi Nārada e estar no caminho da consciência de Kṛṣṇa, pelo contato com o fluxo das guṇas voltei a enredar-me em atividades materiais. Sua mente então se inquietou, e ele começou a falar com espírito de renúncia.

Synonyms

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• aparimita-bala-parākramaḥ: of immeasurable strength and valor
• aparimita-bala-parākramaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aparimita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + parākrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘अपरिमितं बलं च पराक्रमश्च यस्य’ (as descriptive epithet)

• ekadā: once
• ekadā: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ekadā (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (once)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (contrast/emphasis particle)

• devarṣi-caraṇa-anuśayana-anu-patita-guṇa-visarga-saṁsargeṇa: by the association (arising) from the flow of qualities due to service at the feet of the divine sage
• devarṣi-caraṇa-anuśayana-anu-patita-guṇa-visarga-saṁsargeṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devarṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + anuśayana (प्रातिपदिक) + anu (अव्यय) + patita (कृदन्त) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + visarga (प्रातिपदिक) + saṁsarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘देवर्षिचरणानुशयनानुपतितगुणविसर्गस्य संसर्गेण’ (by association with the outflow of qualities fallen upon him due to serving the feet of the divine sage)

• anirvṛtam: unsatisfied
• anirvṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anirvṛta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• iva: as if
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• ātmānam: himself
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• manyamānaḥ: thinking/considering
• manyamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ātma-nirvedaḥ: self-disgust (detachment)
• ātma-nirvedaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + nirveda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘आत्मनः निर्वेदः’ (self-disgust/renunciation)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• āha: said
• āha: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Purport

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.17) it is said:

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣabhadeva
• Devarṣis (divine sages)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about ātma-nirveda (inner detachment)?

This verse describes ātma-nirveda as the mood in which Ṛṣabhadeva, seeing the dissatisfaction caused by contact with the guṇas (material modes), speaks from a place of deep dispassion meant to awaken renunciation and devotion.

Why does Ṛṣabhadeva seem ‘unsatisfied’ if He is the Supreme Lord?

The verse says “as if” (iva): it indicates a teaching-līlā. Ṛṣabhadeva outwardly accepts the appearance of dissatisfaction produced by guṇa-saṅga to instruct conditioned souls about the danger of material association and the need for detachment.

Practical application: how can I avoid the dissatisfaction caused by the guṇas?

Reduce guṇa-saṅga by regulating sense life, keeping saintly association, and anchoring the mind in bhakti—hearing and chanting—so that inner contentment replaces restless material craving.