Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 28

The Pracetās Meet Lord Viṣṇu—Benedictions, Pure Prayer, and the Birth of Dakṣa

Devanagari script

एतावत्त्वं हि विभुभिर्भाव्यं दीनेषु वत्सलै: । यदनुस्मर्यते काले स्वबुद्ध्याभद्ररन्धन ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

etāvat tvaṁ hi vibhubhir bhāvyaṁ dīneṣu vatsalaiḥ yad anusmaryate kāle sva-buddhyābhadra-randhana

Translation

主啊，祢是摧灭一切不祥者。怜悯贫弱的圣者所当思惟者不过如此：在适当之时，借由祢以圣像（arcā-vigraha）之扩展而得忆念。愿祢认定我们为祢永恒的仆从。

Synonyms

• etāvat: this much
• etāvat: Visheshana (विशेषण/measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; adverbial sense ‘so much/this much’

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

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात) giving emphasis/causal nuance

• vibhubhiḥ: by the great ones
• vibhubhiḥ: Karana (करण/agentive means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; ‘by the mighty/competent ones’

• bhāvyam: should be (done/considered)
• bhāvyam: Kriya (क्रिया; obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhū (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Gerundive/necessitative (तव्यत्/tavyat), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; ‘to be done/should be (towards)’

• dīneṣu: among the helpless
• dīneṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural; ‘among/with the poor’

• vatsalaiḥ: by the compassionate
• vatsalaiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; qualifies vibhubhiḥ: ‘by the affectionate (ones)’

• yat: which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता/subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun, Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; correlates with etāvat

• anusmaryate: is remembered
• anusmaryate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु) with anu- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Present tense (लट्/Laṭ), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), passive-like sense ‘is remembered’

• kāle: at the time
• kāle: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• sva-buddhyā: by one’s own intelligence
• sva-buddhyā: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; ‘by one’s own understanding’

• abhadra-randhana: O destroyer of misfortune
• abhadra-randhana: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhadra (प्रातिपदिक) + randhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; epithet: ‘O remover/destroyer of inauspiciousness’

Purport

The form of the Lord known as arcā-vigraha is an expansion of His unlimited potencies. When the Lord is gradually satisfied with the service of a devotee, in due course of time He accepts the devotee as one of His many unalloyed servants. By nature, the Lord is very compassionate; therefore the service of neophyte devotees is accepted by the Lord. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.26) :

Characters & Entities

• Pracetās
• Lord Viṣṇu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about remembering God at the time of death?

This verse highlights that the essential goal is to cultivate remembrance of the Lord so that, when the final time comes, one can naturally remember Him through purified intelligence and steady practice.

Why did the Pracetās address the Lord as ‘destroyer of inauspiciousness’ (abhadra-randhana)?

They praise the Lord as the remover of inner impurity and misfortune, implying that His grace and remembrance cleanse obstacles that block devotion and spiritual clarity.

Practical application of constant remembrance (anusmaraṇa) in modern life?

Build daily habits—hearing and chanting divine names, brief prayerful recollection during work, and regular scripture reflection—so remembrance becomes natural rather than forced in critical moments.