Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अहं ब्रह्म परं धाम ब्रह्माहं परमं पदम् । एवं समीक्ष्य चात्मानमात्मन्याधाय निष्कले ॥ ११ ॥ दशन्तं तक्षकं पादे लेलिहानं विषाननै: । न द्रक्ष्यसि शरीरं च विश्वं च पृथगात्मन: ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

ahaṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma brahmāhaṁ paramaṁ padam evaṁ samīkṣya cātmānam ātmany ādhāya niṣkale

Translation

Isaalang-alang: “Ako ay Brahman, ang kataas-taasang tahanan; at ang Brahman, ang sukdulang hantungan, ay hindi naiiba sa akin.” Sa pag-aalay ng sarili sa Paramātmā na dalisay at lampas sa maling pagkakakilanlan, hindi mo mapapansin si Takṣaka na dumidila at kakagat sa iyong paa gamit ang makamandag na pangil; ni hindi mo makikita ang naghihingalong katawan o ang mundong ito bilang hiwalay sa iyo, sapagkat natanto mo ang iyong pagkahiwalay sa mga iyon.

Synonyms

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• param: supreme
• param: Karta (कर्ता/predicative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of dhāma / brahma)

• dhāma: abode, splendor
• dhāma: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Karta (कर्ता/predicative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of padam)

• padam: state, position
• padam: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus)

• samīkṣya: having examined/considered
• samīkṣya: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातुः—ईक्ष् (दर्शने: to see) उपसर्ग-सम् (sam-)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• ātmānam: the self
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ātmani: in the Self
• ātmani: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• ādhāya: having placed
• ādhāya: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-dhā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातुः—धा (धारणे/स्थापने: to place) उपसर्ग-आ (ā-)

• niṣkale: O partless one
• niṣkale: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣkala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषण (addressing the hearer: ‘O partless one’)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about realizing Brahman and the Self?

This verse teaches contemplative absorption: by understanding the self’s spiritual identity and fixing the mind in the indivisible Absolute (Brahman), one becomes steady in transcendental realization.

Why did Shukadeva Goswami speak this teaching to King Parikshit?

As Parikshit approached death, Śukadeva gave the essence of liberation—how to withdraw the mind from bodily fear and rest it in the Absolute, the sure refuge at life’s end.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

Practice daily inner recollection: reduce identification with the body and anxieties, and regularly fix the mind on the spiritual self through sacred study, prayerful remembrance, and meditation on the Absolute.