Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 23

Soma Pacifies the Pracetās; Dakṣa’s Haṁsa-guhya Prayers; Hari Grants Creative Power

Devanagari script

श्रीप्रजापतिरुवाच नम: परायावितथानुभूतये गुणत्रयाभासनिमित्तबन्धवे । अद‍ृष्टधाम्ने गुणतत्त्वबुद्धिभि- र्निवृत्तमानाय दधे स्वयम्भुवे ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-prajāpatir uvāca namaḥ parāyāvitathānubhūtaye guṇa-trayābhāsa-nimitta-bandhave adṛṣṭa-dhāmne guṇa-tattva-buddhibhir nivṛtta-mānāya dadhe svayambhuve

Translation

Prajāpati thưa: Con kính lễ Đấng Tối Thượng, Đấng có tri kiến không bao giờ sai lạc; Đấng làm chủ sự trói buộc của chúng sinh qua ánh hiện của māyā tam-guṇa; Đấng có cảnh giới vượt ngoài chứng cứ của tri thức thực nghiệm; Đấng vượt trên mọi hiểu biết về guṇa-tattva, tự tại không vướng mắc, tự-hiển và tự-đủ. Con xin cúi đầu đảnh lễ Ngài.

Synonyms

• श्री: revered
• श्री: सम्बोधन-उपाधि (Honorific)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (उपपद/उपाधि) — honorific

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati
• प्रजापतिः: कर्ता (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — said

• नमः: salutations
• नमः: भाव (Exclamation/भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन — salutation; used with dative

• पराय: to the Supreme
• पराय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन — to the supreme

• अवितथानुभूतये: to true (unfailing) realization (personified)
• अवितथानुभूतये: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवितथ + अनुभूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन — to (him who is) unfailing/true realization

• गुणत्रयाभासनिमित्तबन्धवे: to the ally behind the manifestation-cause of the three guṇas
• गुणत्रयाभासनिमित्तबन्धवे: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण + त्रय + आभास + निमित्त + बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन — to the friend/kinsman connected with the cause of the appearance of the three guṇas

• अदृष्टधाम्ने: to the unseen-abode (one)
• अदृष्टधाम्ने: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदृष्ट + धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन — to (him whose) abode/splendor is unseen

• गुणतत्त्वबुद्धिभिः: by insights into guṇas and truth
• गुणतत्त्वबुद्धिभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण + तत्त्व + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन — by understandings of guṇa and reality

• निवृत्तमानाय: to the pride-less (one)
• निवृत्तमानाय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निवृत्त + मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन — to one whose pride is withdrawn

• दधे: I offer/place
• दधे: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन — I place/offer (salutation)

• स्वयम्भुवे: to the Self-born
• स्वयम्भुवे: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम्भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन — to Svayambhū (self-born)

Purport

The transcendental position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is explained herewith. He is not perceivable by the conditioned souls, who are accustomed to material vision and cannot understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead exists in His abode, which is beyond that vision. Even if a materialistic person could count all the atoms in the universe, he would still be unable to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed in Brahma-saṁhitā (5.34) :

Characters & Entities

• Prajāpati
• Svayambhū (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord being beyond the three guṇas?

This verse praises the Supreme as the underlying cause of the guṇas’ manifestation, yet possessing an unseen (transcendent) abode—indicating He is not bound by the modes even while they operate under His supervision.

Why does Prajāpati offer obeisances to Svayambhū in this verse?

Prajāpati offers a formal prayer of surrender, glorifying the Lord as infallibly real and free from pride, acknowledging that true authority over creation and the guṇas rests in the Supreme, not in the ego of a creator-like being.

How can the teaching of ‘nivṛtta-māna’ (freedom from pride) be applied in modern life?

By recognizing that achievements and abilities function within the guṇas, one can reduce false prestige, act responsibly without arrogance, and cultivate humility and devotion—qualities that support inner peace and spiritual progress.