Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 14

Aditi’s Lament and Kaśyapa’s Instruction of the Payo-vrata (Milk Vow) to Please Keśava

Devanagari script

तवैव मारीच मन:शरीरजा: प्रजा इमा: सत्त्वरजस्तमोजुष: । समो भवांस्तास्वसुरादिषु प्रभो तथापि भक्तं भजते महेश्वर: ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

tavaiva mārīca manaḥ-śarīrajāḥ prajā imāḥ sattva-rajas-tamo-juṣaḥ samo bhavāṁs tāsv asurādiṣu prabho tathāpi bhaktaṁ bhajate maheśvaraḥ

Translation

噢，摩利支之子啊，由你的身与意所生的众生各具萨埵、罗阇、怛摩三德；你对天神与阿修罗一视同仁。然而至上人格神虽平等对待一切众生，却对奉献者（奉爱者）格外垂怜。

Synonyms

• tava: of you/your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• mārīca: O Marīci
• mārīca: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārīca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• manaḥ-śarīra-jāḥ: born of mind and body
• manaḥ-śarīra-jāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक) + śarīra (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √jan ‘to be born’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘मनः-शरीरयोः जाताः’)

• prajāḥ: creatures/offspring
• prajāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• imāḥ: these
• imāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• sattva-rajas-tamo-juṣaḥ: attached to sattva, rajas, and tamas
• sattva-rajas-tamo-juṣaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक) + rajas (प्रातिपदिक) + tamas (प्रातिपदिक) + juṣ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √juṣ ‘to enjoy/adhere to’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘सत्त्व-रजस्-तमः जुषन्ति/सेवन्ते ये’)

• samaḥ: equal/neutral
• samaḥ: Pradhāna-kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhavān: you
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific ‘you’)

• tāsu: among them/in them
• tāsu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• asura-ādiṣu: among asuras and others
• asura-ādiṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘असुराः आदयः येषु’/‘asuras and others’)

• prabho: O Lord
• prabho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• tathāpi: even so/however
• tathāpi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā + api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-समुच्चय (concessive adverbial: ‘even so’); निपात

• bhaktam: a devotee
• bhaktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक; √bhaj ‘to worship/serve’ से निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• bhajate: worships/favors
• bhajate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhaj (भज् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• maheśvaraḥ: Mahēśvara (Śiva)
• maheśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (9.29) the Lord says:

Characters & Entities

• Marici
• Maheshvara (Shiva)
• Asuras
• Devas

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Lord Shiva and his devotees?

This verse says that although a great lord may be equal toward all beings, Lord Shiva is renowned for especially favoring and serving his devotee—highlighting the distinctive power of bhakti.

Why did Aditi say this to Marici in Canto 8 Chapter 16?

Aditi addresses Marici to acknowledge his role as progenitor and as an impartial sage among devas and asuras, while emphasizing that devotion draws special mercy—setting the mood for seeking divine help through bhakti.

How can I apply this teaching about devotion in modern life?

Practice steady devotion—prayer, remembrance, and service—without envy toward others; the verse teaches that sincere bhakti invites special divine support even amid life’s mixed modes and conflicts.