Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 51

Nārada Explains the Allegory of King Purañjana

Deha–Indriya–Manaḥ Mapping and the Remedy of Bhakti

Devanagari script

स वै प्रियतमश्चात्मा यतो न भयमण्वपि । इति वेद स वै विद्वान्यो विद्वान्स गुरुर्हरि: ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

sa vai priyatamaś cātmā yato na bhayam aṇv api iti veda sa vai vidvān yo vidvān sa gurur hariḥ

Translation

Người chuyên tâm phụng sự bhakti không hề có chút sợ hãi trong cõi vật chất, vì Śrī Hari là Paramātmā và là bạn tối thượng của mọi loài. Ai biết bí mật này mới thật sự có học; và người ấy có thể trở thành bậc thầy tâm linh của thế gian. Vị sad-guru chân chính, đại diện của Kṛṣṇa, không khác Kṛṣṇa.

Synonyms

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/emphasis (निपात)

• priyatamaḥ: most dear
• priyatamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priyatama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Superlative adjective (तमप्-प्रत्यय), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• ātmā: the Self
• ātmā: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicate nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• yataḥ: because/from whom
• yataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative adverb (यतस्-प्रकारक अव्यय), causal sense “because/wherefrom”

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध निपात)

• bhayam: fear
• bhayam: Karta (कर्ता) in existential sense / Subject of implied ‘asti’
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• aṇu: even a little
• aṇu: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective used substantively; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), concessive/emphatic “even/also”

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-marker (वाक्यार्थसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• veda: knows
• veda: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); meaning ‘knows’ (present sense)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/emphasis (निपात)

• vidvān: a learned man
• vidvān: Karta (कर्ता) / Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Present active participle used as noun (विद्वस्), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) in relative clause
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• vidvān: learned
• vidvān: Karta (कर्ता) / Apposition
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Present active participle used as noun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• guruḥ: teacher
• guruḥ: Predicate nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• hariḥ: Hari (Vishnu)
• hariḥ: Predicate nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ: the spiritual master is described in every scripture as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The spiritual master is accepted as identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he is the most confidential servant of the Lord ( kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya ). The purport is that both the Supersoul and the individual soul are very dear to everyone. Everyone loves himself, and when he becomes more advanced, he loves the Supersoul also. A person who is self-realized does not recommend the worship of anyone but the Supersoul. He knows that to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead is easier than to worship various demigods under the influence of lust and the desire for material enjoyment. The devotee is therefore always engaged in the loving devotional service of the Lord. Such a person is a true guru. In Padma Purāṇa it is said:

Characters & Entities

• Narada Muni
• Hari (Lord Vishnu)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about fearlessness through devotion to Hari?

This verse teaches that Hari is the dearmost Self and that from Him there is not even the slightest fear—real fearlessness arises from knowing and taking shelter of Him.

Why does Narada Muni describe Hari as the guru in Canto 4 Chapter 29?

Narada emphasizes that true wisdom is to know Hari as the inner Self; the one who truly enlightens the soul in that realized knowledge is ultimately Hari, who guides as the spiritual master.

How can I apply this teaching about the Self and fear in modern life?

Anchor your identity in the soul’s relationship with Hari rather than temporary roles; practice bhakti (hearing, chanting, remembering) to reduce anxiety rooted in bodily and worldly insecurity.