Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 39

Brahmā’s Day, the Four Pralayas, and the Supreme Shelter Beyond Cause–Effect

Devanagari script

एता: कुरुश्रेष्ठ जगद्विधातु- र्नारायणस्याखिलसत्त्वधाम्न: । लीलाकथास्ते कथिता: समासत: कार्त्स्‍न्येन नाजोऽप्यभिधातुमीश: ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

etāḥ kuru-śreṣṭha jagad-vidhātur nārāyaṇasyākhila-sattva-dhāmnaḥ līlā-kathās te kathitāḥ samāsataḥ kārtsnyena nājo ’py abhidhātum īśaḥ

Translation

Hỡi bậc ưu tú trong dòng Kuru, ta đã thuật cho ngươi một cách tóm lược những chuyện lila của Thượng Đế Nārāyaṇa—Đấng kiến tạo thế gian và là nơi nương tựa của mọi hữu thể; ngay cả Brahmā (Aja) cũng không thể diễn tả trọn vẹn.

Synonyms

• etāḥ: these
• etāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम-रूप

• kuru-śreṣṭha: O best of the Kurus
• kuru-śreṣṭha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuru + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘कुरूणां श्रेष्ठः’

• jagat-vidhātuḥ: of the creator of the universe
• jagat-vidhātuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat + vidhātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘जगतः विधाता’

• nārāyaṇasya: of Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• akhila-sattva-dhāmnaḥ: of the abode of all beings
• akhila-sattva-dhāmnaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akhila + sattva + dhāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘अखिलानां सत्त्वानां धाम’

• līlā-kathāḥ: pastime-narratives
• līlā-kathāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: līlā + kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारयार्थ-तत्पुरुषः ‘लीलानां कथाः/लीलारूपाः कथाः’

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative) वा षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; अत्र ‘तव/ते’ = ‘your’ (षष्ठी)

• kathitāḥ: have been narrated
• kathitāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (कथ्) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle, क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘कथिताः’ = ‘(they) have been told’

• samāsataḥ: briefly, in summary
• samāsataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samāsatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• kārtsnyena: in entirety, completely
• kārtsnyena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtsnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• ajaḥ: the unborn (Brahmā)
• ajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अपि)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थ (also/even)

• abhidhātum: to describe
• abhidhātum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Infinitive purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√dhā (धा) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive), अव्ययभाव; ‘to describe/tell’

• īśaḥ: is able / the Lord (as subject)
• īśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Parīkṣit (Kuru-śreṣṭha)
• Nārāyaṇa
• Brahmā (Aja)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the unlimited nature of the Lord’s pastimes?

This verse says the Lord’s līlā-kathā is so limitless that even Brahmā (Aja) cannot describe it completely; what is spoken is only a summary.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī say this to King Parīkṣit?

Śukadeva reminds Parīkṣit that the narrations he has heard are condensed, emphasizing the Lord’s infinite greatness and encouraging continued faith in hearing Hari-kathā.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Approach spiritual study with humility: keep hearing and reflecting on Bhagavatam, knowing divine truth is vast and cannot be exhausted by one reading or one speaker.