Shloka 22

Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Austerities and Brahmā’s Boons

The Architecture of ‘Conditional Immortality’

Devanagari script

श्रीनारद उवाच इत्युक्त्वादिभवो देवो भक्षिताङ्गं पिपीलिकै: । कमण्डलुजलेनौक्षद्दिव्येनामोघराधसा ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-nārada uvāca ity uktvādi-bhavo devo bhakṣitāṅgaṁ pipīlikaiḥ kamaṇḍalu-jalenaukṣad divyenāmogha-rādhasā

Translation

Шри Нарада Муни продолжил: Сказав это, Господь Брахма, первосущность вселенной и обладатель безошибочной силы, окропил из своего камандалу божественной, непогрешимой духовной водой тело Хираньякашипу, изъеденное муравьями и молью; и тем оживил его.

Synonyms

• श्री-नारदः: Śrī Nārada
• श्री-नारदः: Karta (कर्ता) (speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; कर्मधारय (श्रीमान् नारदः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect 3rd sg

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyārtha-sūcaka (वाक्यार्थसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• उक्त्वा: having spoken
• उक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त्वा (कृदन्त, त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); having said

• आदि-भवः: the primeval-born (Brahmā)
• आदि-भवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (आदेः भवः = the one born from the beginning/primeval)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; apposition to आदि-भवः

• भक्षित-अङ्गम्: the body (limbs) that had been eaten
• भक्षित-अङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु) → भक्षित (कृदन्त, क्त) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; कर्मधारय (भक्षितम् अङ्गम् यस्य/भक्षित-अङ्गम्)

• पिपीलिकैः: by ants
• पिपीलिकैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिपीलिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• कमण्डलु-जलेन: with water from the water-pot
• कमण्डलु-जलेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमण्डलु (प्रातिपदिक) + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कमण्डलोः जलम्)

• औक्षत्: sprinkled
• औक्षत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (अorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Aorist 3rd sg (sprinkled)

• दिव्येन: divine
• दिव्येन: Viśeṣaṇa of Karaṇa (करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; agrees with जलेन

• अमोघ-राधसा: with unfailing power/energy
• अमोघ-राधसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमोघ (प्रातिपदिक) + राधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; कर्मधारय (अमोघं राधः यस्य/अमोघ-राधस्)

Purport

Lord Brahmā is the first created being within this universe and is empowered by the Supreme Lord to create. Tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye: the ādi-deva, or ādi-kavi — the first living creature — was personally taught by the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the heart. There was no one to teach him, but since the Lord is situated within Brahmā’s heart, Brahmā was educated by the Lord Himself. Lord Brahmā, being especially empowered, is infallible in doing whatever he wants. This is the meaning of the word amogha-rādhasā. He desired to restore Hiraṇyakaśipu’s original body, and therefore, by sprinkling transcendental water from his waterpot, he immediately did so.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Brahmā
• Hiraṇyakaśipu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the power of Brahmā’s kamaṇḍalu water?

This verse states that Brahmā sprinkled divine water from his kamaṇḍalu, described as amogha-rādhasā—of unfailing potency—restoring one whose body had been eaten by ants.

Why did Brahmā sprinkle water on Hiraṇyakaśipu in Canto 7 Chapter 3?

Because Hiraṇyakaśipu had performed extreme austerities for a long time, his body was severely damaged; Brahmā, appearing to grant boons, first revived him by sprinkling divine kamaṇḍalu water.

Practical application of tapasya (austerity) in modern life according to this shloka?

The verse highlights disciplined endurance and the principle that sincere effort brings results; in modern life, steady spiritual practice and self-control can invite grace and inner renewal.