Shloka 3

Brahmā’s Secondary Creation, Kāla (Eternal Time), and the Taxonomy of Species

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच एवं सञ्चोदितस्तेन क्षत्‍त्रा कौषारविर्मुनि: । प्रीत: प्रत्याह तान् प्रश्नान् हृदिस्थानथ भार्गव ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

sūta uvāca evaṁ sañcoditas tena kṣattrā kauṣāravir muniḥ prītaḥ pratyāha tān praśnān hṛdi-sthān atha bhārgava

Translation

Sūta nói: Hỡi con của Bhṛgu, được Vidura, vị kṣatriya, khích lệ như vậy, đại hiền triết Maitreya (Kauṣāravi) vô cùng hoan hỷ. Các câu hỏi đã sẵn trong tâm ngài, nên ngài bắt đầu đáp lần lượt từng điều.

Synonyms

• sūtaḥ: Sūta
• sūtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• sañcoditaḥ: urged
• sañcoditaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√cud (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘having been urged/impelled’

• tena: by him
• tena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular

• kṣattrā: by Vidura (the Kṣattā)
• kṣattrā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣattr (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular; ‘by the Kṣattā (Vidura)’

• kauṣāraviḥ: Kauṣāravi (Maitreya)
• kauṣāraviḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kauṣāravi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; proper name/epithet

• muniḥ: sage
• muniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• prītaḥ: pleased
• prītaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prī (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Past participle (क्त-कृदन्त) used adjectivally, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• pratyāha: replied
• pratyāha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√ah (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada; ‘replied’

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural

• praśnān: questions
• praśnān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praśna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• hṛdi-sthān: situated in the heart (cherished)
• hṛdi-sthān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक) + sthā (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound ‘hṛdi-stha’ (in-the-heart), Masculine, Accusative, Plural qualifying praśnān

• atha: then/now
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अनन्तरार्थक/आरम्भसूचक अव्यय)

• bhārgava: O Bhārgava (Śaunaka)
• bhārgava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular

Purport

The phrase sūta uvāca (“Sūta Gosvāmī said”) appears to indicate a break in the discourse between Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Śukadeva Gosvāmī. While Śukadeva Gosvāmī was speaking to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Sūta Gosvāmī was only one member of a large audience. But Sūta Gosvāmī was speaking to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya, headed by the sage Śaunaka, a descendant of Śukadeva Gosvāmī. This, however, does not make any substantial difference in the topics under discussion.

Characters & Entities

• Suta Gosvami
• Vidura (Kshatta)
• Maitreya
• Shaunaka (Bhargava)

FAQs

Who is speaking in Srimad Bhagavatam 3.10.3 and to whom?

Sūta Gosvāmī speaks to Śaunaka (addressed as Bhārgava), describing how Maitreya replied to Vidura’s questions.

Why did Maitreya answer Vidura’s questions with pleasure?

Because Vidura sincerely urged him for transcendental knowledge; Maitreya, being satisfied with such earnest inquiry, responded to the questions he already held within his heart.

What is the practical lesson of Bhagavatam 3.10.3 for modern spiritual seekers?

Approach authentic wisdom with sincere questions and humility; a qualified teacher naturally shares deep insight when the student’s inquiry is genuine and focused on truth.