Shloka 18

Bhāgavatam Mahimā — The Glory, Measure, Transmission, and Gift of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Devanagari script

श्रीमद्भ‍ागवतं पुराणममलं यद्वैष्णवानां प्रियं यस्मिन् पारमहंस्यमेकममलं ज्ञानं परं गीयते । तत्र ज्ञानविरागभक्तिसहितं नैष्कर्म्यमाविष्कृतं तच्छृण्वन् सुपठन् विचारणपरो भक्त्या विमुच्येन्नर: ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ purāṇam amalaṁ yad vaiṣṇavānāṁ priyaṁ yasmin pāramahaṁsyam ekam amalaṁ jñānaṁ paraṁ gīyate tatra jñāna-virāga-bhakti-sahitaṁ naiṣkarmyam āviskṛtaṁ tac chṛṇvan su-paṭhan vicāraṇa-paro bhaktyā vimucyen naraḥ

Translation

ศรีมทภาควตัมเป็นปุราณะอันบริสุทธิ์ไร้มลทิน เป็นที่รักยิ่งของไวษณพ เพราะในนั้นขับร้องญาณอันสูงสุดและบริสุทธิ์ของปรมหังสะ ที่นั่นได้เผยหนทางนัยษกรรมยะ พร้อมด้วยญาณ ไวรากยะ และภักติ ผู้ใดฟัง สวดอ่านอย่างถูกต้อง และใคร่ครวญด้วยภักติ ย่อมหลุดพ้นโดยสิ้นเชิง

Synonyms

• श्रीमद्भागवतम्: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
• श्रीमद्भागवतम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमद्भागवत (प्रातिपदिक) = श्रीमत् + भागवत
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध (appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; अप्पोजिशन (in apposition to श्रीमद्भागवतम्)

• अमलम्: spotless
• अमलम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies पुराणम्/श्रीमद्भागवतम्)

• यत्: which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• वैष्णवानाम्: of the Vaiṣṇavas
• वैष्णवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्रियम्: dear
• प्रियम्: विधेय-विशेषण (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective of यत्/श्रीमद्भागवतम्)

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• पारमहंस्यम्: the supreme (paramahaṁsa) doctrine/way
• पारमहंस्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारमहंस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• एकम्: one, unique
• एकम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies ज्ञानम्/पारमहंस्यम्)

• अमलम्: spotless
• अमलम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies ज्ञानम्)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies ज्ञानम्)

• गीयते: is sung/celebrated
• गीयते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• तत्र: therein
• तत्र: अधिकरण (adverbial locus)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: 'there/in it')

• ज्ञानविरागभक्तिसहितम्: accompanied by knowledge, detachment, and devotion
• ज्ञानविरागभक्तिसहितम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान-वि-राग-भक्ति-सहित (प्रातिपदिक) = ज्ञान + विराग + भक्ति + सहित
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञान-विराग-भक्ति-समेतम्) विशेषणम् (qualifies नैष्कर्म्यम्)

• नैष्कर्म्यम्: freedom from (binding) action
• नैष्कर्म्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैष्कर्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• आविष्कृतम्: made manifest
• आविष्कृतम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आविष्कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies नैष्कर्म्यम्)

• तत्: that (text)
• तत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; निर्देश (refers to the text/that)

• शृण्वन्: hearing
• शृण्वन्: कर्ता (agent/participant)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि (agentive)

• सुपठन्: well-reading/reciting
• सुपठन्: कर्ता (agent/participant)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सु + पठ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle) with उपसर्ग/अव्यय 'सु' (well), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विचारणपरः: intent on reflection/inquiry
• विचारणपरः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचारणपर (प्रातिपदिक) = विचारण + पर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विचारणे परः) विशेषणम् (qualifies नरः)

• भक्त्या: by devotion
• भक्त्या: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विमुच्येत्: would be liberated
• विमुच्येत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + मुच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नरः: a person
• नरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

Purport

Because Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is completely free of contamination by the modes of nature, it is endowed with extraordinary spiritual beauty and is therefore dear to the pure devotees of the Lord. The word pāramahaṁsyam indicates that even completely liberated souls are eager to hear and narrate Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Those who are trying to be liberated should faithfully serve this literature by hearing and reciting it with faith and devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiṣṇavas
• Paramahaṁsas

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about liberation through hearing?

This verse teaches that by hearing, properly reciting, and thoughtfully reflecting on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with devotion, a person becomes liberated.

Why does Suta Goswami glorify the Srimad Bhagavatam in Canto 12 Chapter 13?

At the conclusion of the Bhāgavatam’s narration, Sūta Gosvāmī summarizes its unique greatness: it is a spotless Purāṇa that reveals the highest paramahaṁsa knowledge and the path of bhakti leading to freedom.

How can I apply jnana, detachment, and bhakti from this shloka in modern life?

Make regular time to hear/read Bhāgavatam, study it attentively, and contemplate its teachings—allowing devotion to deepen while naturally reducing unhealthy attachments.