Shloka 37

Vidura’s Questions: How the Unchangeable Lord Relates to Māyā; Bhakti as the Remedy; Blueprint for the Coming Cosmology

Devanagari script

तत्त्वानां भगवंस्तेषां कतिधा प्रतिसंक्रम: । तत्रेमं क उपासीरन् क उ स्विदनुशेरते ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

tattvānāṁ bhagavaṁs teṣāṁ katidhā pratisaṅkramaḥ tatremaṁ ka upāsīran ka u svid anuśerate

Translation

Bạch Bhagavān, có bao nhiêu loại tan rã (pralaya) của các yếu tố vật chất? Và sau những cuộc tan rã ấy, khi Hari như đang an nghỉ trong yoga-nidrā, ai còn tồn tại để thờ phụng và phụng sự Ngài?

Synonyms

• तत्त्वानाम्: of the principles (tattvas)
• तत्त्वानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; genitive plural

• भगवन्: O venerable one
• भगवन्: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; vocative singular

• तेषाम्: of those
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; pronoun, genitive plural

• कतिधा: in how many ways
• कतिधा: प्रश्न-विशेषण (Interrogative modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कतिधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• प्रतिसंक्रमः: the transition/sequence
• प्रतिसंक्रमः: कर्ता/विषय (Topic/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिसंक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; nominative singular

• तत्र: there/in that context
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adverbial locus)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• इमम्: this (one/this)
• इमम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; pronoun, accusative singular

• कः: who
• कः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun, nominative singular

• उपासीरन्: served/attended
• उपासीरन्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप√आस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; parasmaipada; (पाठभेदे उपासीरन् = उप + आस्, 3pl imperfect)

• कः: who
• कः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• उ: indeed/then
• उ: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis

• स्वित्: perhaps/indeed (in questions)
• स्वित्: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-निपात (interrogative particle)

• अनुशेरते: lies/follows along; rests after
• अनुशेरते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु√शी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Purport

In the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.47-48) it is said that all the material manifestations with innumerable universes appear and disappear with the breathing of Mahā-Viṣṇu lying in yoga-nidrā, or mystic sleep.

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Maitreya

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam 3.7.37 ask about tattvas and dissolution (pralaya)?

Vidura asks Maitreya how the fundamental principles (tattvas) transform and merge during dissolution, and what the hierarchy is among them—who is dependent on whom and who serves whom.

Why did Vidura ask Maitreya about the hierarchy of tattvas in Canto 3 Chapter 7?

Vidura seeks clarity on cosmology and metaphysics—how creation is structured and how it reverses at dissolution—so he can understand the Lord’s arrangement behind material nature and its governing principles.

How can the teaching of Bhagavatam 3.7.37 be applied in modern life?

It encourages disciplined inquiry into what is fundamental versus temporary, helping one prioritize the eternal (the Lord and devotion) over changing material conditions and roles.