Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 3

Nārada’s Questions and Brahmā’s Reply: Vāsudeva as the Source; Sarga–Visarga; Virāṭ-rūpa Mapping

Devanagari script

सर्वं ह्येतद् भवान् वेद भूतभव्यभवत्प्रभु: । करामलकवद् विश्वं विज्ञानावसितं तव ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

sarvaṁ hy etad bhavān veda bhūta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuḥ karāmalaka-vad viśvaṁ vijñānāvasitaṁ tava

Translation

ข้าแต่บิดาผู้เป็นนายเหนือหัว อดีต อนาคต และปัจจุบันทั้งหมดท่านทรงรู้; ทั้งจักรวาลอยู่ในขอบเขตญาณของท่าน ชัดเจนดุจผลไม้บนฝ่ามือและอยู่ในกำมือของท่าน

Synonyms

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2), Singular; used as object with etat (apposition)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) expressing emphasis/indeed

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; demonstrative pronoun in apposition to sarvam

• bhavān: you (honored)
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1), Singular; honorific 2nd-person pronoun

• veda: know
• veda: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्) with Vedic/perfect-like stem ‘veda’ (विद्-धातोः लिट्-रूपवत् वर्तमानार्थे), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada

• bhūta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuḥ: lord of past, future, and present
• bhūta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + bhavya (प्रातिपदिक) + bhavat (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; compound: ‘prabhuḥ’ qualified by genitive-like determiners ‘of past, future, present’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास)

• karāmalaka-vat: as if in the palm (clearly)
• karāmalaka-vat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kara-āmalaka (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (वत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Simile-adverb (उपमावाचक अव्यय) ‘like (something) in the palm’

• viśvam: the universe
• viśvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object understood with veda

• vijñāna-avasitam: comprehended by (your) knowledge
• vijñāna-avasitam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vijñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + avasita (avasā/ava√sā?; here avasita as PPP from ava√sā/ava√sad in sense ‘determined/settled’)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; adjective to viśvam; compound meaning ‘ascertained/contained by knowledge’ (तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष sense)

• tava: of you, your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Singular; 2nd-person pronoun

Purport

Brahmā is the direct creator of the manifested universe and everything within the universe. He therefore knows what happened in the past, what will happen in the future, and what is happening at present. Three principal items, namely the living being, the phenomenal world and the controller, are all in continuous action — past, present and future — and the direct manager is supposed to know everything of such actions and reactions, as one knows about a walnut within the grip of one’s palm. The direct manufacturer of a particular thing is supposed to know how he learned the art of manufacturing, where he got the ingredients, how he set it up and how the products in the manufacturing process are being turned out. Because Brahmā is the firstborn living being, naturally he is supposed to know everything about creative functions.

Characters & Entities

• King Parīkṣit
• Śukadeva Gosvāmī

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about a true spiritual master knowing reality?

This verse praises the realized teacher (Śukadeva) as one who knows past, present, and future, and who sees the universe clearly through vijñāna—direct spiritual realization, not mere theory.

Why did King Parīkṣit say this to Śukadeva Gosvāmī?

Parīkṣit is affirming Śukadeva’s authority and omniscient insight before hearing deeper explanations about the universe and its ultimate cause in Canto 2, Chapter 5.

How can I apply the idea of 'seeing the universe like a fruit in the palm' in modern life?

By pursuing realized knowledge through sincere hearing, devotion, and guidance from a genuine guru, one gains clarity—seeing life’s events in relation to the Supreme rather than being overwhelmed by complexity.