Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 40

Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Tested by Indra and Blessed by Nara-Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच किं वर्णये तव विभो यदुदीरितोऽसु: संस्पन्दते तमनु वाङ्‌मनइन्द्रियाणि । स्पन्दन्ति वै तनुभृतामजशर्वयोश्च स्वस्याप्यथापि भजतामसि भावबन्धु: ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

śrī-mārkaṇḍeya uvāca kiṁ varṇaye tava vibho yad-udīrito ’suḥ saṁspandate tam anu vāṅ-mana-indriyāṇi spandanti vai tanu-bhṛtām aja-śarvayoś ca svasyāpy athāpi bhajatām asi bhāva-bandhuḥ

Translation

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya thưa: Ôi Đấng Toàn Năng, làm sao con có thể tán dương Ngài? Chính Ngài khơi dậy prāṇa, rồi theo đó lời nói, tâm trí và các căn mới vận hành. Điều ấy đúng với mọi chúng sinh hữu hạn, và cả Brahmā lẫn Śiva; huống chi con. Thế nhưng Ngài lại trở thành người bạn thân thiết của những ai phụng thờ Ngài.

Synonyms

• śrī-mārkaṇḍeyaḥ: Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya
• śrī-mārkaṇḍeyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-mārkaṇḍeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular); proper noun

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada

• kim: what
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsakaliṅga (Neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana; interrogative pronoun used adverbially

• varṇaye: (shall) describe
• varṇaye: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: varṇ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• tava: of you/your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive, 6th), Ekavacana; sarvanāma (pronoun)

• vibho: O all-pervading Lord
• vibho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Sambodhana vibhakti (Vocative), Ekavacana

• yat: which/that (when)
• yat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsakaliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana; relative pronoun

• udīritaḥ: uttered/impelled
• udīritaḥ: Karma (कर्म) (in passive sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-īr (धातु) + ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛdanta: past passive participle (क्त/ta), Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with 'asuḥ'

• asuḥ: the life-breath
• asuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• saṁspandate: vibrates/moves
• saṁspandate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṁ-spand (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana, Ātmanepada

• tam: that (it)
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• anu: following it
• anu: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; upasarga/adverb meaning 'following/after'

• vāk: speech
• vāk: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana; in dvandva with next members

• manaḥ: mind
• manaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsakaliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana; member of compound

• indriyāṇi: senses
• indriyāṇi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsakaliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana (Plural)

• spandanti: vibrate/move
• spandanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: spand (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra, Prathama-puruṣa, Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada

• vai: indeed
• vai: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle of emphasis

• tanu-bhṛtām: of embodied beings
• tanu-bhṛtām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhṛt (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: 'tanuṃ bhṛt' = body-bearers

• aja-śarvayoḥ: of Aja (Brahmā) and Śarva (Śiva)
• aja-śarvayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक) + śarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti, Dvivacana (Dual); dvandva: Brahmā (Aja) and Śiva (Śarva)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• svasya: of oneself
• svasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga/napuṁsaka (contextual), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti, Ekavacana; reflexive pronoun

• api: also
• api: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle 'also/even'

• atha: and then
• atha: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; discourse particle 'then/and'

• api: even
• api: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle

• bhajatām: of worshippers
• bhajatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhaj (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ/śānac-type present participle used as genitive plural: bhajatām = 'of those who worship'; Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra, Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• bhāva-bandhuḥ: the friend/kinsman of (all) beings
• bhāva-bandhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + bandhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'bhāvasya bandhuḥ'

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Brahmā (Aja)
• Śiva (Śarva)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about prana (life-air) and the functioning of the senses?

This verse says that when the Lord impels prāṇa, then speech, mind, and the senses begin to operate; their activity follows the movement of life-air, which ultimately depends on Him.

Why does Mārkaṇḍeya mention Brahmā (Aja) and Śiva (Śarva) here?

He highlights that even the greatest cosmic controllers—Brahmā and Śiva—act only because the Lord empowers the life-force and motion within embodied existence, underscoring Bhagavān’s supreme position.

Practical application of the idea that God is 'bhāva-bandhu' (friend of devotion) in modern life?

Cultivate sincere devotion—prayer, mantra, and remembrance—knowing that the Supreme, though independent, responds intimately to heartfelt worship and becomes the inner support of the devotee’s life.