Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 48

Prāyaścitta, the ‘Elephant Bath’ Problem, and the Opening of Ajāmila-Upākhyāna

Devanagari script

मनसैव पुरे देव: पूर्वरूपं विपश्यति । अनुमीमांसतेऽपूर्वं मनसा भगवानज: ॥ ४८ ॥

Transliteration

manasaiva pure devaḥ pūrva-rūpaṁ vipaśyati anumīmāṁsate ’pūrvaṁ manasā bhagavān ajaḥ

Translation

Diêm Vương (Yamarāja) toàn năng sánh như Phạm Thiên (Brahmā); dù ở nơi ngự của mình, Ngài vẫn hiện diện trong tim mọi loài như Paramātmā, dùng tâm quan sát nghiệp quá khứ của jīva và nhờ đó hiểu rõ nó sẽ hành xử thế nào trong những đời sau.

Synonyms

• manasā: by the mind
• manasā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन

• eva: indeed, only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• pure: formerly, before
• pure: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pura (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly/previously)

• devaḥ: the Lord, the god
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• pūrva-rūpam: the former form
• pūrva-rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पूर्वं रूपम्)

• vipaśyati: sees clearly
• vipaśyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√paś (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• anumīmāṁsate: reflects/inquires by inference
• anumīmāṁsate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu√mā + √man (धातु) (desiderative/intensive-like formation)
• Form: लट्-लकार; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातुरूपम्: अनुमीमांस् (अनु + मीमांसा/मन्-आदेश)

• apūrvam: the unprecedented/new
• apūrvam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (कर्मपदस्य)

• manasā: by the mind
• manasā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• ajaḥ: the unborn
• ajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण/उपनाम (भवतः)

Purport

One should not consider Yamarāja an ordinary living being. He is as good as Lord Brahmā. He has the complete cooperation of the Supreme Lord, who is situated in everyone’s heart, and therefore, by the grace of the Supersoul, he can see the past, present and future of a living being from within. The word anumīmāṁsate means that he can decide in consultation with the Supersoul. Anu means “following.” The actual decisions concerning the next lives of the living entities are made by the Supersoul, and they are carried out by Yamarāja.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān
• Aja (the Unborn Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about how creation begins?

This verse explains that before manifest creation, the unborn Supreme Lord beholds the universe’s archetypal form within His own mind and mentally arranges what will newly appear.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe the Lord as ‘aja’ (unborn) here?

To emphasize that the Supreme Lord is not a product of creation—He exists eternally and initiates creation by His own divine will and intelligence.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

It encourages faith that the cosmos is guided by higher intelligence and invites a devotee to cultivate inner clarity—using the mind in service (bhakti) rather than being ruled by it.