Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 46

The Song of the Avantī Brāhmaṇa (Avanti-brāhmaṇa-gītā): Mind as the Root of Suffering and Equanimity Amid Insult

Devanagari script

समाहितं यस्य मन: प्रशान्तं दानादिभि: किं वद तस्य कृत्यम् । असंयतं यस्य मनो विनश्यद् दानादिभिश्चेदपरं किमेभि: ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

samāhitaṁ yasya manaḥ praśāntaṁ dānādibhiḥ kiṁ vada tasya kṛtyam asaṁyataṁ yasya mano vinaśyad dānādibhiś ced aparaṁ kim ebhiḥ

Translation

Kung ang isip ng isang tao ay ganap na nakapirmi at payapa, ano pa ang kailangan niya sa ritwal na kawanggawa at iba pang gawaing banal? At kung ang isip ay nananatiling di-makontrol at nalulunod sa kamangmangan, ano naman ang silbi ng mga gawaing iyon sa kanya?

Synonyms

• samāhitam: collected, composed
• samāhitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√dhā (धा) (धातु) → samāhita (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; agrees with manaḥ

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular; pronoun

• manaḥ: mind
• manaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• praśāntam: peaceful, tranquil
• praśāntam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√śam (शम्) (धातु) → praśānta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; agrees with manaḥ

• dāna-ādibhiḥ: by charity and the like
• dāna-ādibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural; तत्पुरुषः (ādi = etc., ‘beginning with charity’)

• kim: what?
• kim: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular; interrogative used adverbially

• vada: tell, say
• vada: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (वद्) (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tasya: for him/of him
• tasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

• kṛtyam: duty/what needs to be done
• kṛtyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; ‘what is to be done’

• asaṁyatam: uncontrolled
• asaṁyatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + saṁyata (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; negative; agrees with manaḥ

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

• manaḥ: mind
• manaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (Vedic/poetic form for mano)

• vinaśyat: perishing, being ruined
• vinaśyat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√naś (नश्) (धातु)
• Form: Present participle (शतृ), Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; used adjectivally with manaḥ (‘perishing’)

• dāna-ādibhiḥ: by charity and the like
• dāna-ādibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक)

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (यदि-अर्थक निपात)

• aparam: other, further
• aparam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular; predicate (‘anything else’)

• kim: what?
• kim: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; interrogative

• ebhiḥ: with these (means)
• ebhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural; pronoun

Characters & Entities

• Shukadeva Gosvami
• Maharaja Parikshit

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about charity without controlling the mind?

This verse teaches that charity and similar pious acts cannot grant the highest benefit if the mind remains uncontrolled; inner steadiness and peace are essential for real spiritual progress.

Why does Shukadeva Gosvami emphasize a peaceful, composed mind in Canto 11?

In the Bhagavatam’s teachings on renunciation and devotion, Shukadeva highlights that the root of bondage is the restless mind; when the mind is pacified and fixed properly, external duties become secondary.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Do good deeds, but prioritize daily mind-training—sadhana, prayer, japa, and self-discipline—so that charity is guided by purity rather than ego, impulse, or distraction.