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Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 6

Nārada and Aṅgirā Instruct Citraketu: Impermanence, Ātma-Tattva, and Mantra-Upadeśa

भूतैर्भूतानि भूतेश: सृजत्यवति हन्ति च । आत्मसृष्टैरस्वतन्त्रैरनपेक्षोऽपि बालवत् ॥ ६ ॥

bhūtair bhūtāni bhūteśaḥ sṛjaty avati hanti ca ātma-sṛṣṭair asvatantrair anapekṣo ’pi bālavat

Đấng Chúa Tể của muôn loài, Bhūteśa, khiến các hữu tình được tạo, được giữ gìn và bị tiêu diệt thông qua chính các hữu tình ấy. Dẫu Ngài không vướng bận vào biểu hiện tạm bợ này, Ngài vẫn, như đứa trẻ chơi trên bãi biển, nắm quyền kiểm soát mọi sự và vận hành như một līlā. Ngài dùng người cha cho việc sinh thành, dùng vua/chính quyền cho việc bảo hộ, và dùng tác nhân như rắn cho sự hủy diệt; các tác nhân ấy không có năng lực độc lập, nhưng vì mê lực māyā, chúng sinh tưởng mình là kẻ làm.

bhūtaiḥby/through the elements/beings
bhūtaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootbhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)
bhūtānibeings/elements
bhūtāni:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootbhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)
bhūteśaḥthe Lord of beings
bhūteśaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: bhūtānām īśaḥ); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
sṛjaticreates
sṛjati:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsṛj (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
avatiprotects
avati:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootav (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
hantidestroys
hanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Roothan (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; samuccaya (conjunction)
ātma-sṛṣṭaiḥself-created
ātma-sṛṣṭaiḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक) + sṛṣṭa (कृदन्त; √sṛj/सृज्)
FormTatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ātmanā sṛṣṭa/ātmanaḥ sṛṣṭa—contextually ‘self-created’); Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter/Masculine (context: with bhūtaiḥ), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)
asvatantraiḥdependent/not autonomous
asvatantraiḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota-svatantra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with bhūtaiḥ
anapekṣaḥindependent (not needing anything)
anapekṣaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootan-apekṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies bhūteśaḥ
apieven though
api:
Nipāta (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; concessive particle (अपि)
bālavatlike a child
bālavat:
Prakāra (प्रकार/उपमा)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootbāla (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित)
FormAvyaya; upamā-avyaya (वत्-pratyaya: ‘like/as’)

No one can independently create, maintain or annihilate. Bhagavad-gītā (3.27) therefore says:

N
Narada Muni
K
King Citraketu
B
Bhutesha (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

This verse explains that the Supreme Lord creates, protects, and withdraws beings through other beings (and forces) that He has produced—agents who are not independent—while He Himself remains fully independent.

Narada instructs Citraketu to see the Lord’s governance behind material events: outcomes occur through various instruments, but the ultimate controller is the Supreme, who remains unattached and self-sufficient.

Recognize instruments and circumstances without losing sight of the higher controller; act responsibly, but reduce anxiety and resentment by understanding that many outcomes unfold through networks of causes under divine supervision.