Shloka 24

Bali Mahārāja Upholds Truth; Vāmana Reveals the Universal Form and Takes the Two Steps

Devanagari script

सन्ध्यां विभोर्वाससि गुह्य ऐक्षत् प्रजापतीञ्जघने आत्ममुख्यान् । नाभ्यां नभ: कुक्षिषु सप्तसिन्धू- नुरुक्रमस्योरसि चर्क्षमालाम् ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

sandhyāṁ vibhor vāsasi guhya aikṣat prajāpatīñ jaghane ātma-mukhyān nābhyāṁ nabhaḥ kukṣiṣu sapta-sindhūn urukramasyorasi carkṣa-mālām

Translation

بلی مہاراج نے عجیب و غریب کرم کرنے والے ربّ کے لباس کے نیچے شام کی سندھیا کو دیکھا۔ اس کے مخفی اعضاء میں پرجاپتیوں کو، ران کے حصے میں اپنے آپ کو اپنے خاص ساتھیوں سمیت، ناف میں آسمان کو، کمر میں سات سمندروں کو اور سینے پر ستاروں کے جھرمٹ کو دیکھا۔

Synonyms

• sandhyām: twilight; junction-time
• sandhyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.)

• vibhoḥ: of the Lord; of the all-pervading one
• vibhoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (Gen. 6), Ekavacana (sg.)

• vāsasi: in the garment
• vāsasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka-liṅga (n.), Saptamī-vibhakti (Loc. 7), Ekavacana (sg.)

• guhye: in the secret part
• guhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka-liṅga (n.), Saptamī-vibhakti (Loc. 7), Ekavacana (sg.)

• aikṣat: he saw
• aikṣat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Parasmaipada

• prajāpatīn: the Prajāpatis
• prajāpatīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Acc. 2), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• jaghane: in the hips/loins
• jaghane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaghana (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Napुṁsaka-liṅga (n.), Saptamī-vibhakti (Loc. 7), Ekavacana (sg.)

• ātma-mukhyān: having the self as foremost; chief among them
• ātma-mukhyān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātman + mukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (determinative): ātma-mukhya = ‘self as chief’; Puṁliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Acc. 2), Bahuvacana (pl.); viśeṣaṇa of prajāpatīn

• nābhyām: from the navel
• nābhyām: Apādāna (अपादान/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nābhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Pañcamī-vibhakti (Abl. 5) (also possible Tṛtīyā Inst. 3 by form), Ekavacana (sg.)

• nabhaḥ: the sky
• nabhaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nabhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka-liṅga (n.), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.)

• kukṣiṣu: in the flanks/abdomen
• kukṣiṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kukṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Saptamī-vibhakti (Loc. 7), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• sapta-sindhūn: the seven rivers
• sapta-sindhūn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapta (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + sindhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu-samāsa (numerical): ‘seven rivers’; Puṁliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Acc. 2), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• urukramasya: of Urukrama (Viṣṇu)
• urukramasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: urukrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (Gen. 6), Ekavacana (sg.)

• urasi: on/in the chest
• urasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka-liṅga (n.), Saptamī-vibhakti (Loc. 7), Ekavacana (sg.)

• carkṣa-mālām: the garland of stars/constellations
• carkṣa-mālām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: carkṣa + mālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa: carkṣa-mālā = ‘garland of stars/constellations’; Strīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.)

Characters & Entities

• Guhya
• Urukrama (Lord Viṣṇu)
• Prajāpatis
• Brahmā

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Virat Rupa (universal form) in Canto 8 Chapter 20?

This verse states that various cosmic features are seen as parts of the Lord’s universal form—twilight in His garments, Prajāpatis at His hips, the sky from His navel, the seven oceans in His abdomen, and the stars as a garland on His chest.

Who is Guhya in Srimad Bhagavatam, and what is he seeing here?

Guhya is a celestial being mentioned in this section as an observer of the Lord’s universal form; he is described as beholding how cosmic and divine orders (Prajāpatis, heavens, oceans, stars) are situated within the Lord.

How can this verse be applied in modern devotional practice?

It encourages seeing the universe as sacred and dependent on the Supreme—cultivating reverence, reducing ego, and strengthening bhakti by remembering that all cosmic order rests within the Lord.