Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 23

The Prayers of the Personified Vedas (Śruti-stuti) and the Indescribable Absolute

Devanagari script

निभृतमरुन्मनोऽक्षद‍ृढयोगयुजो हृदि य- न्मुनय उपासते तदरयोऽपि ययु: स्मरणात् । स्‍त्रिय उरगेन्द्रभोगभुजदण्डविषक्तधियो वयमपि ते समा: समद‍ृशोऽङ्‍‍घ्रिसरोजसुधा: ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

nibhṛta-marun-mano-’kṣa-dṛḍha-yoga-yujo hṛdi yan munaya upāsate tad arayo ’pi yayuḥ smaraṇāt striya uragendra-bhoga-bhuja-daṇḍa-viṣakta-dhiyo vayam api te samāḥ sama-dṛśo ’ṅghri-saroja-sudhāḥ

Translation

Chỉ bằng cách liên tục nghĩ về Ngài, kẻ thù của Chúa đã đạt được Chân lý Tối thượng giống như các hiền nhân tu tập yoga. Tương tự như vậy, chúng tôi, các Sruti, sẽ đạt được mật hoa từ đôi chân hoa sen của Ngài mà các người vợ của Ngài đang tận hưởng.

Synonyms

• nibhṛta-marut-manas-akṣa-dṛḍha-yoga-yujaḥ: firm-yoga practitioners with restrained breath, mind, and senses
• nibhṛta-marut-manas-akṣa-dṛḍha-yoga-yujaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nibhṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + marut (प्रातिपदिक) + manas (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛḍha (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + yuj (युज् धातु, क्तृ कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘practitioners of firm yoga with restrained breath, mind, and senses’

• hṛdi: in the heart
• hṛdi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘in the heart’

• yat: whom/which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘which/whom’ (object of upāsate)

• munayaḥ: sages
• munayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• upāsate: they worship/meditate on
• upāsate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-ās (आस् धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘they worship/meditate upon’

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘that (same)’

• arayaḥ: enemies
• arayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘enemies’

• api: even
• api: Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि (also/even)

• yayuḥ: they attained/went
• yayuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (या धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘they went/attained’

• smaraṇāt: by remembrance
• smaraṇāt: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; ‘from/by remembrance’

• striyaḥ: women
• striyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• uragendra-bhoga-bhuja-daṇḍa-viṣakta-dhiyaḥ: whose minds were attached to the serpent-king’s coils/arms
• uragendra-bhoga-bhuja-daṇḍa-viṣakta-dhiyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uraga-indra (प्रातिपदिक) + bhoga (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuja (प्रातिपदिक) + daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣakta (सञ्ज्/सज् धातु, क्त कृदन्त) + dhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of striyaḥ): ‘whose minds were attached to the serpent-king’s coils/arms like rods’

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘we’

• api: also
• api: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (also)

• te: your
• te: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (युष्मद्)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘your’

• samāḥ: equal
• samāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘equal (to them)’

• sama-dṛśaḥ: equal-seeing
• sama-dṛśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛś (दृश् धातु, क्तृ कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘of equal vision’

• aṅghri-saroja-sudhāḥ: nectar of the lotus-feet
• aṅghri-saroja-sudhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅghri (प्रातिपदिक) + saroja (प्रातिपदिक) + sudhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘nectar of (your) lotus-feet’ (metaphorically: those who are nectar-like at the lotus-feet)

Purport

According to Ācārya Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, the few śrutis — such as the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad — who identify the cowherd boy Kṛṣṇa with absolute Brahman in its highest aspect had so far been patiently waiting for their turn to speak. But after hearing the other śrutis offer prayers openly glorifying the Lord’s personality, these intimate śrutis could no longer contain themselves, and so they spoke out of turn in this verse.

Characters & Entities

• The personified Vedas (Śrutis)
• The sages (munis)
• The Lord (Nārāyaṇa/Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about attaining liberation through remembrance of Krishna?

This verse states that even those who are hostile can attain the Supreme simply by remembering Him, showing the extraordinary purifying power of constant remembrance (smaraṇa).

Who is speaking in Bhagavatam 10.87.23 and why do they mention women and sages together?

The personified Vedas (Śrutis) are speaking. They glorify the Lord by saying that both perfected sages and even women absorbed in the Lord’s association can reach the same spiritual perfection when connected to Him.

How can I apply the teaching of smaraṇa (remembrance) in modern life?

Build daily remembrance through chanting His names, reading a small portion of Bhagavatam, and consciously recalling the Lord during routine activities—turning attention back to Him again and again.