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Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 41

Nimi Questions the Yogendras: Māyā, Cosmic Dissolution, Guru-Śaraṇāgati, Bhakti, and Deity Worship

श्रीराजोवाच कर्मयोगं वदत न: पुरुषो येन संस्कृत: । विधूयेहाशु कर्माणि नैष्कर्म्यं विन्दते परम् ॥ ४१ ॥

śrī-rājovāca karma-yogaṁ vadata naḥ puruṣo yena saṁskṛtaḥ vidhūyehāśu karmāṇi naiṣkarmyaṁ vindate param

พระราชาตรัสว่า “โอ้มหาฤๅษีทั้งหลาย โปรดกล่าวแก่พวกเราถึงกรรมโยคะ ซึ่งทำให้บุรุษได้รับการชำระให้บริสุทธิ์ ด้วยโยคะนี้ เขาย่อมสลัดกิจกรรมทางวัตถุออกไปได้อย่างรวดเร็วแม้ในชาตินี้ และบรรลุไนษ์กรรมยะอันสูงสุด ดำรงชีวิตบริสุทธิ์บนฐานเหนือโลก”

śrī-rājāthe revered king
śrī-rājā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśrī (प्रातिपदिक) + rājā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1), Singular; honorific ‘the glorious king’
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular; ‘said’
karma-yogamkarma-yoga (path of action)
karma-yogam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkarma (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2), Singular; object of request/speech
vadatatell (us)
vadata:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vad (धातु)
FormImperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person, Plural; ‘tell (you all)’
naḥto us
naḥ:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/चतुर्थी)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormDative/Genitive enclitic; here Dative (4/चतुर्थी), Plural: ‘to us’
puruṣaḥa person
puruṣaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1), Singular; subject of vindate
yenaby which
yena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter/Masculine, Instrumental (3), Singular; relative pronoun ‘by which’
saṁskṛtaḥpurified
saṁskṛtaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsaṁ-√kṛ (धातु) → saṁskṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1), Singular; past passive participle: ‘purified/refined’ (agreeing with puruṣaḥ)
vidhūyahaving shaken off
vidhūya:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvi-√dhū (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), ‘having shaken off’
ihahere
iha:
Deśa/Prasaṅga (देश/प्रसङ्ग)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiha (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक) ‘here/in this life’
āśuquickly
āśu:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootāśu (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (शीघ्रार्थक) ‘quickly’
karmāṇiactions (karmas)
karmāṇi:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkarman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2), Plural; object of vidhūya
naiṣkarmyamactionlessness / freedom from karma
naiṣkarmyam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootnaiṣkarmya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2), Singular; object of vindate
vindateattains
vindate:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vid (धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular; ‘finds/attains’
paramsupreme
param:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2), Singular; adjective qualifying naiṣkarmyam

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (3.5) :

K
King Nimi

FAQs

In this verse, King Nimi asks for karma-yoga that purifies a person and quickly removes karmic reactions, culminating in the supreme naiṣkarmya—freedom from bondage to action.

Within the dialogue with exalted sages, the King seeks a practical spiritual method for purification in worldly life—how to act in a way that removes karmic bondage and leads to liberation.

Perform duties responsibly while aiming for inner purification—offering work in a spirit aligned with dharma and devotion—so actions no longer bind and the mind moves toward liberation.