Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 10

Brahmā Worships Vāmana; the Demons Attack; Bali is Bound and Questioned About the Third Step

Devanagari script

न वायं ब्रह्मबन्धुर्विष्णुर्मायाविनां वर: । द्विजरूपप्रतिच्छन्नो देवकार्यं चिकीर्षति ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

na vāyaṁ brahma-bandhur viṣṇur māyāvināṁ varaḥ dvija-rūpa-praticchanno deva-kāryaṁ cikīrṣati

Translation

Vamana này chắc chắn không phải là một brāhmaṇa mà là người giỏi nhất trong những kẻ lừa gạt, Chúa Viṣṇu. Giả dạng một brāhmaṇa, Ngài đã che giấu hình dạng thật của mình, và do đó Ngài đang hành động vì lợi ích của các bán thần.

Synonyms

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• vā: indeed/for sure (emphatic)
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive/alternative particle; here emphatic)

• ayam: this (person)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• brahma-bandhuḥ: a Brahmin in name only (kinsman of Brahmins)
• brahma-bandhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicative nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + bandhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (brahmaṇaḥ bandhuḥ) (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• viṣṇuḥ: Vishnu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• māyāvinām: of the illusionists
• māyāvinām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyāvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• varaḥ: the best
• varaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicative nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• dvija-rūpa-praticchannaḥ: disguised in the form of a brahmin
• dvija-rūpa-praticchannaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + praticchanna (छद्-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; तृतीया/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष-भावः (dvija-rūpeṇa praticchannaḥ / dvija-rūpe praticchannaḥ) (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• deva-kāryam: the work of the gods
• deva-kāryam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (devānāṁ kāryam) (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• cikīrṣati: wishes to do
• cikīrṣati: Kriya (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ-धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; देशिदेरिवेटिव्-इच्छार्थक (desiderative) ‘चिकीर्ष’ (Present indicative, 3rd person singular)

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Vāmana (implied)
• Devas (demigods)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Lord Vishnu disguising Himself as a brahmana?

This verse states that Viṣṇu, the supreme master of mystic power, conceals Himself in a brāhmaṇa form to accomplish the devas’ divine purpose—protecting cosmic order and dharma.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī say that this is not a brahma-bandhu?

In the narrative of Vāmana’s arrival at Bali’s sacrifice, Śukadeva clarifies that the visitor is not an unqualified brāhmaṇa by birth, but Viṣṇu Himself acting under a divine mission.

What is the practical lesson of Vāmana’s disguise in modern life?

Do not judge spiritual potency by external appearance; the Bhagavatam teaches reverence, discernment, and humility, recognizing that the Divine can act through unexpected forms to restore righteousness.