Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 79

Lord Śiva Instructs the Pracetās (Śiva-stuti and the Path of Bhakti)

Devanagari script

गीतं मयेदं नरदेवनन्दना: परस्य पुंस: परमात्मन: स्तवम् । जपन्त एकाग्रधियस्तपो महत् चरध्वमन्ते तत आप्स्यथेप्सितम् ॥ ७९ ॥

Transliteration

gītaṁ mayedaṁ naradeva-nandanāḥ parasya puṁsaḥ paramātmanaḥ stavam japanta ekāgra-dhiyas tapo mahat caradhvam ante tata āpsyathepsitam

Translation

Hỡi các hoàng tử, bài tán tụng ta đã đọc là để làm đẹp lòng Đấng Tối Thượng, Paramātmā. Hãy nhất tâm trì tụng; công năng của nó như đại khổ hạnh. Về sau đời các con sẽ viên mãn và chắc chắn đạt mọi điều mong cầu.

Synonyms

• gītam: sung/uttered
• gītam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gai (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Napumsaka, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; used as predicate 'sung/uttered'

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; pronoun

• idam: this (hymn)
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• naradeva-nandanāḥ: O sons of the king (god among men)
• naradeva-nandanāḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naradeva (प्रातिपदिक) + nandana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: नरदेवानां नन्दनाः); Pumlinga, Nominative, Plural

• parasya: of the Supreme
• parasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumlinga, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• puṁsaḥ: of the Person
• puṁsaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumlinga, Genitive (6th), Singular

• paramātmanaḥ: of the Supreme Self
• paramātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paramātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (परमः आत्मा); Pumlinga, Genitive (6th), Singular

• stavam: hymn/praise
• stavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: stava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumlinga, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• japantaḥ: chanting
• japantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jap (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Pumlinga, Nominative, Plural

• ekāgra-dhiyaḥ: with one-pointed minds
• ekāgra-dhiyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekāgra (प्रातिपदिक) + dhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (एकाग्रा धिः यस्य); Pumlinga, Nominative, Plural; adjective qualifying 'japantaḥ'

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• mahat: great
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative, Singular; adjective qualifying 'tapaḥ'

• caradhvam: practice / perform
• caradhvam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Ātmanepada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ante: in the end
• ante: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning 'at the end/finally' (अन्ते)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) 'then/thereupon'

• āpsyatha: you will attain
• āpsyatha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person, Plural

• ipsitam: the desired (goal)
• ipsitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īpsita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative, Singular; 'desired (thing)'

Purport

If we persistently engage in devotional service, certainly all our desires will be fulfilled in due course of time.

Characters & Entities

• Lord Śiva (Rudra)
• Pracetās

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about chanting (japa) with one-pointed mind?

This verse teaches that reciting a hymn to the Supreme Person with focused, one-pointed attention is itself a great tapasya and leads to attaining one’s desired spiritual goal.

Why did Lord Shiva say this to the Pracetas?

Lord Śiva instructed the Pracetās to chant his hymn praising the Supreme Paramātmā as their disciplined practice, assuring them that such concentrated devotion would fulfill their purpose.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Adopt a daily, distraction-minimized chanting routine—recite a prayer or divine names with steady attention—treating it as tapasya, and align your desires toward spiritual progress.