Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 21

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Request to See Māyā and the Vision of the Cosmic Deluge

Devanagari script

प्रागुत्तरस्यां शाखायां तस्यापि दद‍ृशे शिशुम् । शयानं पर्णपुटके ग्रसन्तं प्रभया तम: ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

prāg-uttarasyāṁ śākhāyāṁ tasyāpi dadṛśe śiśum śayānaṁ parṇa-puṭake grasantaṁ prabhayā tamaḥ

Translation

Sa sanga sa hilagang-silangan ng punong iyon, nakita niya ang isang sanggol na nakahiga sa loob ng tiklop ng dahon; nilalamon ng ningning nito ang dilim.

Synonyms

• प्राक्: towards the east / in front
• प्राक्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिक्/देशवाचक अव्यय (directional adverb)

• उत्तरस्याम्: in the northern (side)
• उत्तरस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; दिक्शब्दः—‘in the northern (direction/side)’

• शाखायाम्: on a branch
• शाखायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• तस्य: of it / of that (tree)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also / even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• ददृशे: he saw
• ददृशे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• शिशुम्: a child
• शिशुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• शयानम्: lying (down)
• शयानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शी (धातु) + शयान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-सम्भव), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘lying’—शिशुम् विशेषणम्

• पर्णपुटके: in a leaf-cup
• पर्णपुटके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्ण + पुटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पर्णस्य पुटकः)

• ग्रसन्तम्: devouring
• ग्रसन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रस् (धातु) + ग्रसन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘devouring’—शिशुम् विशेषणम्

• प्रभया: by (his) radiance
• प्रभया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• तमः: darkness
• तमः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘darkness’

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi
• The Supreme Lord (as the infant on the banyan leaf)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord appearing as a child during cosmic dissolution (pralaya)?

In this verse, Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi beholds the Supreme Lord as an infant lying in a leaf’s hollow, whose radiance itself consumes the darkness—showing the Lord’s transcendence even when the cosmos is withdrawn.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Mārkaṇḍeya seeing a baby on a branch?

Śukadeva narrates Mārkaṇḍeya’s extraordinary vision to reveal that beyond the terrifying emptiness of pralaya, the ultimate shelter is Bhagavān, who appears in a gentle, captivating form to His devotee.

Practical application of this vision—how can a devotee use this teaching in modern life?

Remember that divine light is not dependent on external stability: in personal “darkness” or uncertainty, take shelter of the Lord through nāma-japa and śravaṇa, trusting that His presence dispels fear from within.