Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 8

Nārāyaṇa’s Impartiality, Absorption in Kṛṣṇa, and the Jaya–Vijaya Descent

Prelude to Prahlāda’s History

Devanagari script

जयकाले तु सत्त्वस्य देवर्षीन् रजसोऽसुरान् । तमसो यक्षरक्षांसि तत्कालानुगुणोऽभजत् ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

jaya-kāle tu sattvasya devarṣīn rajaso ’surān tamaso yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi tat-kālānuguṇo ’bhajat

Translation

సత్త్వం ప్రబలినప్పుడు దేవతలు, ఋషులు వికసిస్తారు; రజసం ప్రబలినప్పుడు అసురులు వృద్ధి చెందుతారు; తమసం ప్రాధాన్యమైతే యక్ష-రాక్షసులు ఎదుగుతారు. భగవాన్ హృదయంలో నిలిచి ఆ కాలానుగుణంగా ఫలితాలను పోషిస్తాడు।

Synonyms

• जय-काले: at the time of predominance/victory
• जय-काले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-Temporal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (जयस्य कालः)

• तु: but; and
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध-बोधक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय (contrastive particle)

• सत्त्वस्य: of sattva
• सत्त्वस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• देव-ऋषीन्: the divine sages
• देव-ऋषीन्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (‘divine sages’)

• रजसः: of rajas
• रजसः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• असुरान्: the asuras
• असुरान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• तमसः: of tamas
• तमसः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• यक्ष-रक्षांसि: yakṣas and rākṣasas
• यक्ष-रक्षांसि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष + रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (यक्षाश्च रक्षांसि च)

• तत्-काल-अनुगुणः: one who is in accordance with that time
• तत्-काल-अनुगुणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् + काल + अनुगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘in accordance with that time’); विशेषणम् (of an implicit agent, e.g., the Lord/creator)

• अभजत्: assigned; partook; resorted to
• अभजत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु) + अभि- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Purport

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not partial to anyone. The conditioned soul is under the influence of the various modes of material nature, and behind material nature is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; but one’s victory and loss under the influence of sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa are reactions of these modes, not of the Supreme Lord’s partiality. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, in the Bhāgavata-sandarbha, has clearly said:

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Devarṣis
• Asuras
• Yakṣas
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the three guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas)?

This verse explains that beings and outcomes align with the dominant guṇa of the time—goodness supports devas and sages, passion supports asuras, and ignorance supports Yakṣas and Rākṣasas.

Why is Śukadeva Gosvāmī describing devas, asuras, Yakṣas and Rākṣasas in Canto 7 Chapter 1?

He is clarifying how the world’s leadership and influence shift according to the prevailing mode of nature, helping answer how divine justice operates through time and guṇa.

Practical application: how can I rise above the influence of time and the guṇas?

Recognize the pull of sattva, rajas, and tamas in daily choices and deliberately cultivate sattva through discipline and purity, then transcend all three through steady bhakti (devotional service) to the Lord.