Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 17

Kāla-cakra and the Motions of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Grahas

Bhāgavata Jyotiṣa Framework

Devanagari script

तत उत्तरस्माद‍ृषय एकादशलक्षयोजनान्तर उपलभ्यन्ते य एव लोकानां शमनुभावयन्तो भगवतो विष्णोर्यत्परमं पदं प्रदक्षिणं प्रक्रमन्ति ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

tata uttarasmād ṛṣaya ekādaśa-lakṣa-yojanāntara upalabhyante ya eva lokānāṁ śam anubhāvayanto bhagavato viṣṇor yat paramaṁ padaṁ pradakṣiṇaṁ prakramanti.

Translation

దాని ఉత్తరంగా పదకొండు లక్షల యోజనాల అంతరంలో సప్తర్షులు ఉన్నారు. వారు లోకుల క్షేమాన్ని తలచుతూ సదా భగవాన్ విష్ణువు యొక్క పరమపదమైన ధ్రువలోకాన్ని ప్రదక్షిణగా పరిభ్రమిస్తుంటారు।

Synonyms

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb

• uttarasmāt: from above/from the northern side
• uttarasmāt: Apadana (अपादान/From)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; used substantively ‘from the northern/higher (region)’

• ṛṣayaḥ: sages
• ṛṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ekādaśa-lakṣa-yojanāntare: at an interval of eleven lakh yojanas
• ekādaśa-lakṣa-yojanāntare: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-distance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekādaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + yojana (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; dvigu compound ‘interval of eleven lakhs of yojanas’

• upalabhyante: are perceived/are found
• upalabhyante: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√labh (धातु)
• Form: Present/लट्, 3rd person, Plural; Ātmanepada; passive sense ‘are perceived’

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता/Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Plural; relative pronoun referring to ṛṣayaḥ

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• lokānām: of the worlds/people
• lokānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• śam: peace/auspiciousness
• śam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Singular; object of anubhāvayantaḥ

• anubhāvayantaḥ: bringing about (peace)
• anubhāvayantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Descriptive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√bhū (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative Plural; causative: ‘causing to experience/bringing about’

• bhagavataḥ: of the Lord
• bhagavataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive Singular

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive Singular; in apposition with bhagavataḥ

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (कर्म/Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Singular; relative pronoun qualifying padam

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Karma (कर्म/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Singular; agrees with padam

• padam: abode/position
• padam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Singular

• pradakṣiṇam: clockwise, in circumambulation
• pradakṣiṇam: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pradakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषण), ‘clockwise/as circumambulation’

• prakramanti: move/step forth (circumambulate)
• prakramanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kram (धातु)
• Form: Present/लट्, 3rd person, Plural; Parasmaipada

Purport

Śrīla Madhvācārya quotes the following verse from the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa:

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Ṛṣayaḥ (the sages)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about circumambulating Lord Vishnu (pradakshina)?

This verse describes exalted sages moving in a clockwise circumambulation around Lord Viṣṇu’s supreme abode, indicating reverence, devotion, and alignment with the Lord as the ultimate center.

Why does Shukadeva Goswami describe sages in the cosmic structure of Canto 5?

In Canto 5, Śukadeva explains the universe’s arrangement to show that beyond material regions are spiritually powerful beings whose movements and blessings are centered on the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu.

Practical application of this verse in modern life?

Keep the Supreme Lord as the “center” of life—through regular worship, remembrance, and practices like pradakṣiṇa at temples—so one’s actions become auspicious and beneficial to others.