Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 39

Aditi’s Lament and Kaśyapa’s Instruction of the Payo-vrata (Milk Vow) to Please Keśava

Devanagari script

अर्चित्वा गन्धमाल्याद्यै: पयसा स्‍नपयेद् विभुम् । वस्त्रोपवीताभरणपाद्योपस्पर्शनैस्तत: । गन्धधूपादिभिश्चार्चेद्‌द्वादशाक्षरविद्यया ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

arcitvā gandha-mālyādyaiḥ payasā snapayed vibhum vastropavītābharaṇa- pādyopasparśanais tataḥ gandha-dhūpādibhiś cārced dvādaśākṣara-vidyayā

Translation

ในเบื้องต้น ผู้ภักดีพึงสวดมนต์ทวาทศอักษร แล้วถวายเครื่องหอม พวงมาลัย ดอกไม้ ธูป และอื่น ๆ จากนั้นพึงสรงองค์พระผู้เป็นเจ้า ด้วยน้ำนม แล้วถวายผ้า สายศักดิ์สิทธิ์ และเครื่องประดับ ถวายน้ำล้างพระบาท แล้วบูชาอีกครั้งด้วยดอกไม้หอม ธูป และเครื่องสักการะทั้งหลาย

Synonyms

• arcitvā: having worshipped
• arcitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (धातु) → arcita (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), from √arc (पूजायाम्)

• gandha-mālya-ādyaiḥ: with perfumes, garlands, etc.
• gandha-mālya-ādyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + mālya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-समाहार, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘गन्ध-माल्य-आदि’ इति समासः (आद्य-शब्देन ‘etc.’)

• payasā: with milk
• payasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: payas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• snapayet: should bathe (him)
• snapayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √snā (धातु) (स्नाने)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्रयोगः; causative (णिच्) ‘स्नापयति’; विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vibhum: the all-pervading Lord
• vibhum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• vastra-upavīta-ābharaṇa-pādya-upasparśanaiḥ: with cloth, sacred thread, ornaments, foot-water, and touching (rites)
• vastra-upavīta-ābharaṇa-pādya-upasparśanaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastra (प्रातिपदिक) + upavīta (प्रातिपदिक) + ābharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + pādya (प्रातिपदिक) + upasparśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्वः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग-समाहार, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla/Anukrama (काल/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (sequencing adverb)

• gandha-dhūpa-ādibhiḥ: with fragrance, incense, etc.
• gandha-dhūpa-ādibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + dhūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘गन्ध-धूप-आदि’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• arced: should worship
• arced: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arc (धातु) (पूजायाम्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; sandhi: arcet + (d) (छन्दसि/पदपूरण)

• dvādaśa-akṣara-vidyayā: with the twelve-syllable mantra/vidyā
• dvādaśa-akṣara-vidyayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक) + vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ‘द्वादशाक्षरा’ (twelve-syllabled) इति विशेषणपूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः

Purport

The dvādaśākṣara-mantra is oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. While worshiping the Deity, one should ring a bell with his left hand and offer pādya, arghya, vastra, gandha, mālā, ābharaṇa, bhūṣaṇa and so on. In this way, one should bathe the Lord with milk, dress Him and again worship Him with all paraphernalia.

Characters & Entities

• Aditi
• Lord Vishnu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about bathing Lord Vishnu with milk (abhisheka)?

This verse instructs that after initial worship with fragrance and garlands, the devotee should bathe the Supreme Lord with milk and then continue worship with garments, sacred thread, ornaments, pādya, incense, and other offerings.

Why is the twelve-syllable mantra (dvādaśākṣarī) mentioned in this verse?

Because the worship is to be performed while chanting the dvādaśākṣarī mantra, indicating that mantra-japa and arcana together form a complete, devotional method of pleasing Lord Vishnu.

How can I apply the teaching of this shloka in modern devotional life?

Offer simple, sincere worship—such as a small abhiṣeka, clean cloth, incense, and a flower—while regularly chanting the dvādaśākṣarī or other authorized Vishnu mantras, focusing on reverence and purity rather than extravagance.