Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 50

Nārada Explains the Allegory of King Purañjana

Deha–Indriya–Manaḥ Mapping and the Remedy of Bhakti

Devanagari script

हरिर्देहभृतामात्मा स्वयं प्रकृतिरीश्वर: । तत्पादमूलं शरणं यत: क्षेमो नृणामिह ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

harir deha-bhṛtām ātmā svayaṁ prakṛtir īśvaraḥ tat-pāda-mūlaṁ śaraṇaṁ yataḥ kṣemo nṛṇām iha

Translation

圣主哈利是此世一切具身众生的超灵与引导者；祂亦是物质自然诸业的至上主宰。故人人当归依祂的莲花足；如此，人生便得吉祥与安稳。

Synonyms

• hariḥ: Hari
• hariḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• deha-bhṛtām: of the embodied beings
• deha-bhṛtām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha + bhṛt (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √bhṛ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; समास: देह-भृत् = "body-bearer"; genitive plural: "of embodied beings"

• ātmā: Self, soul
• ātmā: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; in apposition/predicate to "hariḥ"

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (indeclinable adverb): "by himself"

• prakṛtiḥ: Nature, primal source
• prakṛtiḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate noun with "hariḥ"

• īśvaraḥ: Lord, controller
• īśvaraḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate noun with "hariḥ"

• tat-pāda-mūlam: the base of His feet
• tat-pāda-mūlam: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + pāda + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: तत्-पाद-मूल = "the root of His feet"

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate noun

• yataḥ: from which
• yataḥ: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (causal indeclinable): "from which/wherefrom; because of which"

• kṣemaḥ: welfare, security
• kṣemaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣema (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nṛṇām: of men
• nṛṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb): "here (in this world)"

Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (18.61) it is said, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati: “The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna.” The living entity is within the body, and the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is also there. He is called antaryāmī and caitya-guru. As Lord Kṛṣṇa states in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) , He is controlling everything:

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say is the real shelter for human beings?

This verse states that the true shelter is the lotus feet of Lord Hari, because real welfare and security (kṣema) arise from taking refuge in Him.

Why does Pṛthu Mahārāja emphasize surrender to Hari’s lotus feet in Canto 4 Chapter 29?

In his instructions to the citizens, Pṛthu teaches that worldly arrangements cannot give lasting protection; since Hari is the indwelling Self and the Lord of material nature, surrender to Him is the sure path to genuine well-being.

How can I apply ‘taking shelter of Hari’ in modern life according to this shloka?

Center daily life on devotional refuge—regular nāma-japa, hearing Bhagavatam, offering work and choices to the Lord—seeking inner guidance from the Paramātmā rather than relying only on external security.