Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 42

Lord Śiva Bewildered by Mohinī

Viṣṇu’s Yoga-māyā and the Limits of Ascetic Power

Devanagari script

आत्मांशभूतां तां मायां भवानीं भगवान्भव: । सम्मतामृषिमुख्यानां प्रीत्याचष्टाथ भारत ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

ātmāṁśa-bhūtāṁ tāṁ māyāṁ bhavānīṁ bhagavān bhavaḥ sammatām ṛṣi-mukhyānāṁ prītyācaṣṭātha bhārata

Translation

О потомок Бхараты, тогда Господь Бхава (Шива), ликуя, с любовью обратился к своей супруге Бхавани, которую все великие мудрецы признают майей — энергией Господа Вишну.

Synonyms

• आत्मांशभूताम्: being a portion of himself
• आत्मांशभूताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्म-अंश-भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आत्मनः अंशः; तेन भूतः/भूता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; agreeing with मायाम्

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मायाम्: māyā
• मायाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भवानीम्: Bhavānī (Pārvatī)
• भवानीम्: Karma (कर्म/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; apposition to मायाम्

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवः: Bhava (Śiva)
• भवः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to भगवान्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शिव-नाम

• सम्मताम्: approved/accepted
• सम्मताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-मत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘approved/esteemed’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; agreeing with मायाम्/भवानीम्

• ऋषिमुख्यानाम्: of the foremost sages
• ऋषिमुख्यानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि-मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ऋषीणां मुख्या:); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• प्रीत्या: with affection
• प्रीत्या: Karana (करण/Instrument; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; adverbial instrumental (‘with affection’)

• अचष्ट: declared
• अचष्ट: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; ‘told/declared’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction): ‘then/and’

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Bhava)
• Bhavānī (Pārvatī)
• Ṛṣis (foremost sages)
• Parīkṣit (Bhārata)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Bhavani (Parvati) and Maya?

This verse states that Bhavānī is identified with Māyā and is understood as an expansion of the Supreme Lord’s own potency.

Why does Shukadeva Goswami mention Lord Shiva speaking to sages in Canto 8 Chapter 12?

In the Mohinī-mūrti narrative, Śiva’s experience and explanation highlight how even great beings acknowledge the Lord’s energies and their workings, reinforcing the Bhagavatam’s theology of divine potency.

Practical application: what does understanding Maya as God’s energy change in daily life?

It encourages humility and devotion: instead of blaming the world alone, one learns to seek the Lord’s shelter and use discernment, recognizing illusion as a divine power that can be transcended through bhakti.