Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 18

Aditi’s Payo-vrata and Viṣṇu’s Promise to Appear as Her Son

Prelude to Vāmana

Devanagari script

त्वयार्चितश्चाहमपत्यगुप्तये पयोव्रतेनानुगुणं समीडित: । स्वांशेन पुत्रत्वमुपेत्य ते सुतान् गोप्तास्मि मारीचतपस्यधिष्ठित: ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

tvayārcitaś cāham apatya-guptaye payo-vratenānuguṇaṁ samīḍitaḥ svāṁśena putratvam upetya te sutān goptāsmi mārīca-tapasy adhiṣṭhitaḥ

Translation

你为护佑诸子而行大“乳誓”(payo-vrata)，如法祈祷并供奉于我。凭借出自摩利支系的迦叶牟尼之苦行威力，我将以自身一分化身为你之子，从而守护你其余的儿子。

Synonyms

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण/agent-instrument in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular; pronoun

• arcitaḥ: worshipped
• arcitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arcita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √arc अर्च्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with aham

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; pronoun

• apatya-guptaye: for the protection of offspring
• apatya-guptaye: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/beneficiary-purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apatya (प्रातिपदिक) + gupti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) 'apatyasya guptiḥ' (protection of offspring); Feminine, Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular; purpose

• payo-vratena: by the milk-vow
• payo-vratena: Karana (करण/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: payaḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) 'payasaḥ vrataṁ' (milk-vow); Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular

• anuguṇam: appropriately, suitably
• anuguṇam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anuguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; adverbial accusative qualifying samīḍitaḥ ('duly/appropriately')

• samīḍitaḥ: praised, invoked
• samīḍitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samīḍita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √īḍ ईड् with sam-)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with aham

• svāṁśena: by (my) own portion
• svāṁśena: Karana (करण/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + aṁśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) 'svaḥ aṁśaḥ' (own portion); Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular

• putratvam: sonship
• putratvam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putratva (प्रातिपदिक; putra + -tva)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; object of upetya

• upetya: having assumed
• upetya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √i इ (धातु) with upa-
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) = 'having attained/assumed'

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

• sutān: sons
• sutān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• goptā: protector
• goptā: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: goptṛ (प्रातिपदिक; agent noun from √gup गुप्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; predicative noun with asmi

• asmi: am
• asmi: Kriyā (क्रिया/copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as अस् (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• mārīca-tapasi: in Marīci's austerity (lineage/penance)
• mārīca-tapasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārīca (प्रातिपदिक) + tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) 'mārīcasya tapaḥ' (Marīci's austerity); Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• adhiṣṭhitaḥ: presiding, established
• adhiṣṭhitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhiṣṭhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √sthā स्था with adhi-)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with aham; sense 'presiding/established'

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Aditi
• Marici

FAQs

What is the payo-vrata in Srimad Bhagavatam and what result does it give?

In this verse, the Lord says Aditi’s payo-vrata (a devotional vow centered on worship while subsisting on milk) properly pleased Him, leading Him to personally arrange protection for her children by taking birth as her son.

Why did Vishnu agree to become Aditi’s son in Canto 8 Chapter 17?

Because Aditi worshiped Him with devotion specifically for protecting her offspring; the Lord, satisfied by her vow and prayers, promises to accept sonship through His plenary expansion to safeguard her sons.

How can this shloka be applied in modern life for devotion and protection?

It teaches that sincere, disciplined devotional practice and prayer for righteous purposes invite divine support—cultivating steadiness, faith, and a protective spiritual atmosphere for one’s family.