Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 41

Brahmā Counsels the Demigods; Journey to Kailāsa; Śiva’s Tranquility and Brahmā’s Praise

Devanagari script

तथापरे सिद्धगणा महर्षिभि- र्ये वै समन्तादनु नीललोहितम् । नमस्कृत: प्राह शशाङ्कशेखरं कृतप्रणामं प्रहसन्निवात्मभू: ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

tathāpare siddha-gaṇā maharṣibhir ye vai samantād anu nīlalohitam namaskṛtaḥ prāha śaśāṅka-śekharaṁ kṛta-praṇāmaṁ prahasann ivātmabhūḥ

Translation

围坐在青赤色（尼罗罗希多）湿婆周围的诸成就者与大圣贤，如那罗陀等，也都向梵天致敬。受此礼敬后，自生者梵天含笑，开始对已行礼的湿婆开口说道。

Synonyms

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; manner adverb ‘thus/likewise’

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘others’

• सिद्धगणाः: bands of Siddhas
• सिद्धगणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘groups of Siddhas’

• महर्षिभिः: with great sages
• महर्षिभिः: Sahakāraka (सह/साकं)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/सह), बहुवचन; ‘with great sages’

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; relative pronoun referring to अपरे सिद्धगणाः

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphasis particle

• समन्तात्: from all sides
• समन्तात्: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb ‘from all sides/around’

• अनु: following
• अनु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘after/along, following’

• नीललोहितम्: Nīlalohita (Śiva)
• नीललोहितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘the blue-and-red one’ (epithet of Śiva)

• नमस्कृतः: having been saluted
• नमस्कृतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नमस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP) from नमस्कृ; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having been saluted / saluted’ (predicate/qualifier)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह्/अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘he said’

• शशाङ्कशेखरम्: the moon-crested one
• शशाङ्कशेखरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशाङ्क (प्रातिपदिक) + शेखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘moon-crested’ (Śiva)

• कृतप्रणामम्: having made obeisance
• कृतप्रणामम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ-धातु, क्त) + प्रणाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘one who has made obeisance’ (qualifies śaśāṅka-śekharam as object described)

• प्रहसन्: smiling
• प्रहसन्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘smiling’ (qualifies ātmabhūḥ)

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय ‘as if/like’

• आत्मभूः: the self-born (Brahmā)
• आत्मभूः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + भू (धातु/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि ‘self-born’ (Brahmā)

Purport

Lord Brahmā was smiling because he knew that Lord Śiva is not only easily satisfied but easily irritated as well. He was afraid that Lord Śiva might be in an angry mood because he had lost his wife and had been insulted by Dakṣa. In order to conceal this fear, he smiled and addressed Lord Śiva as follows.

Characters & Entities

• Lord Śiva (Nīlalohita, Śaśāṅka-śekhara)
• Lord Brahmā (Ātmabhū)
• Siddhas
• Maharṣis

FAQs

Who is Nīlalohita mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam 4.6.41?

Nīlalohita is a name of Lord Śiva; in this verse, Siddhas and great sages offer him obeisances as Brahmā prepares to address him.

Why does Brahmā speak to Lord Śiva after the sages offer obeisances?

In the aftermath of Dakṣa’s sacrifice being disrupted, Brahmā approaches Śiva respectfully to pacify him and restore harmony among the devas and sages.

What is the practical lesson of this verse for modern spiritual life?

It highlights devotional etiquette—offering respect to exalted personalities and resolving conflict through humility, calm speech, and reverence for saintly authority.