Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 9

Kriyā-yoga, the Virāṭ-Puruṣa Mapping, and the Sun-God’s Monthly Expansions

Devanagari script

यावानयं वै पुरुषो यावत्या संस्थया मित: । तावानसावपि महापुरुषो लोकसंस्थया ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

yāvān ayaṁ vai puruṣo yāvatyā saṁsthayā mitaḥ tāvān asāv api mahā- puruṣo loka-saṁsthayā

Translation

ดุจดังที่เราวัดสัดส่วนของมนุษย์สามัญได้ด้วยการวัดอวัยวะต่าง ๆ ฉันใด ก็ฉันนั้นย่อมรู้สัดส่วนของมหาปุรุษได้ด้วยการวัดการจัดวางหมู่โลกและระบบดาวเคราะห์ในรูปจักรวาลของพระองค์

Synonyms

• यावान्: as great as
• यावान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; परिमाणवाचक-सम्बन्ध (correlative)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• पुरुषः: person/Puruṣa
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• यावत्या: by as much (extent) as
• यावत्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; परिमाणवाचक-विशेषणम्

• संस्थया: by the arrangement/structure
• संस्थया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; ‘arrangement/structure’

• मितः: measured/limited
• मितः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मा (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्तः—भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; ‘measured/limited’

• तावान्: so great
• तावान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; परिमाणवाचक-सम्बन्ध (correlative)

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (also/even)

• महापुरुषः: the great Puruṣa
• महापुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (महान् पुरुषः)

• लोक-संस्थया: by the structure of the worlds
• लोक-संस्थया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य संस्था)

Characters & Entities

• Mahā-puruṣa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Mahā-puruṣa and the universe?

This verse explains that just as an individual soul is understood through the measure of its body, the Supreme Mahā-puruṣa is understood through the measure of the entire cosmic arrangement—the universe as His vast manifestation.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī compare the individual person to the universal form?

To help the listener grasp the Lord’s all-pervading greatness through an accessible analogy: the body is the ‘field’ by which a person is perceived, and the cosmos is the ‘field’ by which the Supreme Person’s universal manifestation is perceived.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

It encourages humility and God-consciousness: seeing one’s body as limited while recognizing a higher, all-encompassing order—prompting reverence, responsibility, and devotion rather than ego-centered living.