Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 15

The Glories of Lord Ananta (Śeṣa/Saṅkarṣaṇa) and the Cosmic Foundation Beneath Pātāla

Devanagari script

एतावतीर्हि राजन् पुंस: प्रवृत्तिलक्षणस्य धर्मस्य विपाकगतय उच्चावचा विसदृशा यथाप्रश्नं व्याचख्ये किमन्यत्कथयाम इति ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

etāvatīr hi rājan puṁsaḥ pravṛtti-lakṣaṇasya dharmasya vipāka-gataya uccāvacā visadṛśā yathā-praśnaṁ vyācakhye kim anyat kathayāma iti.

Translation

Tâu Đại vương, như vậy ta đã giải thích theo câu hỏi của ngài về các cảnh giới quả báo—cao hay thấp, sai khác muôn hình—phát sinh từ nghiệp của những người theo dharma hướng ngoại (pravṛtti). Điều ngài hỏi, ta đã trình bày đúng như ta nghe từ các bậc thẩm quyền; nay còn biết nói gì nữa?

Synonyms

• etāvatīḥ: so many/this much
• etāvatīḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; refers to gatayaḥ (understood)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात; emphasis)

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• puṁsaḥ: of a person
• puṁsaḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān/puṁs (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• pravṛtti-lakṣaṇasya: characterized by worldly activity
• pravṛtti-lakṣaṇasya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravṛtti (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'having the mark of pravṛtti'); Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठī), Singular; qualifies dharmasya

• dharmasya: of dharma
• dharmasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• vipāka-gatayaḥ: destinations as results (of karma)
• vipāka-gatayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (subject: destinations)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipāka (प्रातिपदिक) + gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भाव: 'resultant destinations'); Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• uccāvacāḥ: high and low, various
• uccāvacāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uccāvacā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; qualifies gatayaḥ

• visadṛśāḥ: unequal, dissimilar
• visadṛśāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: visadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; qualifies gatayaḥ

• yathā-praśnam: as per the question
• yathā-praśnam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + praśna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva adverb: 'according to the question'

• vyācakhye: I have explained
• vyācakhye: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ā-√cakṣ (चक्ष् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada; sense: 'I have explained'

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म) (object of kathayāma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; interrogative used idiomatically

• anyat: else, other
• anyat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies kim (kim anyat = what else)

• kathayāma: shall we say/tell
• kathayāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (कथ् धातु) (denom. kathaya-)
• Form: Present indicative (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-sūcaka (वाक्यार्थसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable quotative particle (इति-निपात)

Purport

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fifth Canto, Twenty-fifth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Glories of Lord Ananta.”

Characters & Entities

• King Parīkṣit

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about pravṛtti-dharma and its results?

This verse states that dharma based on pravṛtti (worldly, fruitive engagement) yields varied, unequal outcomes—high or low destinations—according to one’s actions and their ripened results (vipāka).

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī say this to King Parīkṣit?

Śukadeva concludes a section by telling Parīkṣit that he has answered his inquiries as asked, describing how karma-oriented religiosity produces different destinations, and signals readiness to proceed to the next topic.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

It encourages discernment: even “religious” actions done for outcomes lead to mixed results, so one can prioritize sincere devotion and purity of intention rather than merely chasing material rewards through ritual or duty.