Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 33

Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Meets Lord Śiva: Devotee as Living Tīrtha and the Lord’s Māyā

Devanagari script

कं वृणे नु परं भूमन् वरं त्वद् वरदर्शनात् । यद्दर्शनात् पूर्णकाम: सत्यकाम: पुमान् भवेत् ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

kaṁ vṛṇe nu paraṁ bhūman varaṁ tvad vara-darśanāt yad-darśanāt pūrṇa-kāmaḥ satya-kāmaḥ pumān bhavet

Translation

O Panginoong sumasaklaw sa lahat! Yamang natamo ko na ang biyaya ng pagdama at pagtanaw sa Iyo, ano pa ang hihilingin ko? Sa pagtanaw lamang sa Iyo, ang tao’y nagiging ganap ang kaganapan ng hangarin at natutupad ang tunay na ninanais.

Synonyms

• कम्: what (thing)
• कम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• वृणे: I choose
• वृणे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; √वृ ‘to choose’

• नु: indeed/then
• नु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/अनुनासिक-निपात (interrogative/emphatic particle)

• परम्: other/further
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; used adverbially ‘further/other’ or qualifying ‘वरम्’

• भूमन्: O Great One
• भूमन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमान् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• त्वत्: from you
• त्वत्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (2nd person pronoun), पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन

• वर-दर्शनात्: from the sight of the boon-giver
• वर-दर्शनात्: Hetu (हेतु; cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative): ‘वरस्य दर्शनम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन

• यत्-दर्शनात्: from whose sight
• यत्-दर्शनात्: Hetu (हेतु; cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘यस्य दर्शनम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन

• पूर्ण-कामः: fully satisfied in desires
• पूर्ण-कामः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘पूर्णः कामः यस्य/पूर्णकामः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; predicate adjective of ‘पुमान्’

• सत्य-कामः: one whose desires are true/fulfilled
• सत्य-कामः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘सत्यः कामः यस्य’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; predicate adjective

• पुमान्: a man/person
• पुमान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi
• Lord Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the power of darshan (seeing the Lord)?

This verse teaches that the Lord’s darśana itself is the highest boon, because by seeing Him one becomes pūrṇa-kāma (fully satisfied) and satya-kāma (with desires purified and truly fulfilled).

Why did Markandeya Rishi ask for no other boon besides the Lord’s darshan?

In this chapter’s mood of devotion, Mārkaṇḍeya recognizes that all benedictions are contained in the Lord Himself; the direct vision of Bhagavān grants inner completeness beyond ordinary material boons.

Practical application of 'purna-kama' (complete satisfaction) in modern life?

Shift the goal from endless acquisition to inner fulfillment through bhakti—regular remembrance, prayer, and sacred study—so desires become calmer, cleaner, and aligned with truth.