Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 11

The Lord Appears to the Devas and Instructs the Truce; Mandara Is Brought for Churning

Devanagari script

त्वं माययात्माश्रयया स्वयेदं निर्माय विश्वं तदनुप्रविष्ट: । पश्यन्ति युक्ता मनसा मनीषिणो गुणव्यवायेऽप्यगुणं विपश्चित: ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

tvaṁ māyayātmāśrayayā svayedaṁ nirmāya viśvaṁ tad-anupraviṣṭaḥ paśyanti yuktā manasā manīṣiṇo guṇa-vyavāye ’py aguṇaṁ vipaścitaḥ

Translation

噢至上者！你自性圆满、全然独立，不假外助。凭你自有的幻力（依自我而住的摩耶），你创造此宇宙并入其中。那些以奉爱瑜伽净化、通达圣典、心识澄明的智者，看见：纵在诸性(guṇa)变迁之中，你仍超越诸性(nirguṇa)，不为其所染。

Synonyms

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन), Pronoun (सर्वनाम)

• māyayā: by (your) māyā
• māyayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ātma-āśrayayā: self-supported
• ātma-āśrayayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); Tatpuruṣa: ātmani āśrayaḥ yasyāḥ sā = having its support in the Self (qualifies māyā)

• svayā: by your own
• svayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); reflexive/own (स्व)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• nirmāya: having created
• nirmāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir + √mā (मा) (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having created/constructed’

• viśvam: the universe
• viśvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: that (into it)
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन), Pronoun used adverbially with anupraviṣṭaḥ = ‘into that’

• anupraviṣṭaḥ: entered (pervading)
• anupraviṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu + pra + √viś (विश्) (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); used predicatively with tvam

• paśyanti: they see
• paśyanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्) (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• yuktāḥ: disciplined
• yuktāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √yuj (युज्) (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘disciplined/connected’

• manasā: with the mind
• manasā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• manīṣiṇaḥ: sages/thinkers
• manīṣiṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manīṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• guṇa-vyavāye: in the intermixture of guṇas
• guṇa-vyavāye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + vyavāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); Tatpuruṣa: guṇānāṁ vyavāyaḥ = interposition/mixture of qualities

• api: even
• api: Avyaya (निपात/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात) ‘even/also’

• aguṇam: the quality-less (beyond guṇas)
• aguṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); used substantively

• vipaścitaḥ: the wise
• vipaścitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipaścit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

Purport

The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (9.10) :

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Vishnu creating and entering the universe?

This verse says the Lord manifests the universe by His own māyā-śakti and then enters it—indicating His immanence as the indwelling presence (Paramātmā) while remaining the supreme controller.

Why are the demigods praising Vishnu as beyond the gunas even though He acts in the world?

They acknowledge that although the Lord appears within material nature and its modes, He is never conditioned by them; His actions are transcendental, performed through His own potency.

Practical application of seeing God beyond the modes of nature in modern life?

Practice steady remembrance and devotion so the mind becomes “yukta” (absorbed); then you learn to recognize the Lord’s presence and guidance even amid changing moods, circumstances, and material influences.