Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 9

Lord Śiva Bewildered by Mohinī

Viṣṇu’s Yoga-māyā and the Limits of Ascetic Power

Devanagari script

त्वां ब्रह्म केचिदवयन्त्युत धर्ममेकेएके परं सदसतो: पुरुषं परेशम् । अन्येऽवयन्ति नवशक्तियुतं परं त्वांकेचिन्महापुरुषमव्ययमात्मतन्त्रम् ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

tvāṁ brahma kecid avayanty uta dharmam eke eke paraṁ sad-asatoḥ puruṣaṁ pareśam anye ’vayanti nava-śakti-yutaṁ paraṁ tvāṁ kecin mahā-puruṣam avyayam ātma-tantram

Translation

Lạy Chúa, có người theo Vedānta xem Ngài là Brahman vô tướng; các triết gia Mīmāṁsā xem Ngài là chính Dharma. Các nhà Sāṅkhya biết Ngài là Đấng Purusha tối thượng, vượt ngoài prakṛti và puruṣa, là chủ tể cả chư thiên. Hành giả Pañcarātra tôn thờ Ngài là Đấng Tối Cao đầy đủ chín śakti, còn các yogi theo Patañjali nhìn Ngài là Thượng Đế tối thượng, tự tại, bất hoại, không ai ngang bằng hay cao hơn.

Synonyms

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• brahma: Brahman (Absolute)
• brahma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• kecit: some (people)
• kecit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• avayanti: worship/approach/revere
• avayanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava√i (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• uta: also/indeed
• uta: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uta (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); अर्थः—‘and/also/indeed’

• dharmam: dharma; righteousness
• dharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• eke: some/others
• eke: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• eke: some (others)
• eke: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• param: supreme
• param: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• sat: of being/existence
• sat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• asatoḥ: of (both) non-being and being
• asatoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), द्विवचन (Dual)

• puruṣam: the Person
• puruṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• pareśam: the Supreme Lord
• pareśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pareśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• avayanti: worship/approach
• avayanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava√i (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• nava-śakti-yutam: endowed with nine energies
• nava-śakti-yutam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + yuta (कृदन्त; √yuj)
• Form: समास (compound) ‘नवशक्तियुत’ = नवाभिः शक्तिभिः युतः (endowed with nine powers); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• param: supreme
• param: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• kecit: some
• kecit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• mahā-puruṣam: the Great Person
• mahā-puruṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (descriptive): ‘महान् पुरुषः’; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• avyayam: imperishable
• avyayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ātma-tantram: self-dependent; autonomous
• ātma-tantram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + tantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘आत्मनः तन्त्रं’ / ‘स्वतन्त्र’ (self-governed); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) as adjective, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Lord Śiva
• Lord Viṣṇu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Brahman and the Supreme Person (Bhagavān)?

This verse explains that seekers perceive the same Supreme Truth in different ways—some as impersonal Brahman, others as dharma, and others as the Supreme Person (Puruṣa, Pareśa) who transcends both cause and effect.

Why did Lord Śiva say this to Lord Viṣṇu in Canto 8 Chapter 12?

After being bewildered by Viṣṇu’s Mohinī form, Lord Śiva offers prayers acknowledging that the Lord is understood variously, yet remains the one independent Supreme Reality beyond all limited conceptions.

Practical application of seeing one truth in many realizations (Brahman, dharma, Puruṣa) in modern life?

Practice humility in spiritual learning: honor sincere approaches while deepening devotion to the Supreme Lord, recognizing that partial realizations can mature into fuller understanding through bhakti.