Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 43

Varṣā-Śarad Vṛndāvana-Śobha: The Beauty of the Rainy and Autumn Seasons in Vraja

Devanagari script

खमशोभत निर्मेघं शरद्विमलतारकम् । सत्त्वयुक्तं यथा चित्तं शब्दब्रह्मार्थदर्शनम् ॥ ४३ ॥

Transliteration

kham aśobhata nirmeghaṁ śarad-vimala-tārakam sattva-yuktaṁ yathā cittaṁ śabda-brahmārtha-darśanam

Translation

秋空无云，澄澈而繁星历历，光辉灿然；正如亲证吠陀圣言（声梵）旨趣之人，其具足清净善性（萨埵）的心识亦明朗照耀。

Synonyms

• खम्: the sky
• खम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• अशोभत: shone, looked splendid
• अशोभत: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (it shone/appeared beautiful)

• निर्मेघम्: cloudless
• निर्मेघम्: विशेषण (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-मेघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (मेघाभावः) (neuter, accusative singular; ‘without clouds’)

• शरद्विमलतारकम्: clear and starry like autumn
• शरद्विमलतारकम्: विशेषण (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरद्-विमल-तारक (प्रातिपदिक); शरद् (autumn) + विमल (clear) + तारक (starry)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-प्रधानः (विमलं तारकं यस्मिन्/यत्) (neuter, accusative singular; descriptive compound)

• सत्त्वयुक्तम्: endowed with goodness (sattva)
• सत्त्वयुक्तम्: उपमान-विशेषण (Simile qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्व-युक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः (सत्त्वेन युक्तम्) (neuter, accusative singular; ‘endowed with sattva’)

• यथा: as, just like
• यथा: सम्बन्ध (Upamā-marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा/तुलना-वाचक (indeclinable; comparative ‘as/like’)

• चित्तम्: the mind
• चित्तम्: उपमेय (Upameya/उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• शब्दब्रह्मार्थदर्शनम्: realizing the meaning of the Veda (śabda-brahman)
• शब्दब्रह्मार्थदर्शनम्: विशेषण (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शब्द-ब्रह्म-अर्थ-दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक); शब्द (sound/word) + ब्रह्म (Veda) + अर्थ (meaning) + दर्शन (seeing/realization)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमास-प्रधानः (शब्दब्रह्मणः अर्थस्य दर्शनम्) (neuter, nominative/accusative singular; realization of the meaning of Vedic sound)

Purport

The clear and starry autumn sky can also be compared to the pure heart of the devotee. The spiritual nature is always brilliant, clean and blissful, and this spiritual nature, called vaikuṇṭha, immediately satisfies all the desires of the soul. This is the secret of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about śabda-brahman (Vedic sound)?

This verse teaches that when the mind is purified and situated in sattva, one can truly perceive the purport (artha) of śabda-brahman—the Absolute revealed through Vedic sound.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe the autumn sky in Canto 10, Chapter 20?

He uses nature in Vṛndāvana as a spiritual analogy: just as the autumn sky becomes cloudless and starry, a sattva-filled mind becomes clear and capable of higher realization.

Practical application: how can I make my mind 'cloudless' like the autumn sky?

Cultivate sattva through disciplined living, truthful and compassionate conduct, and regular śāstra study and devotional hearing—so the mind becomes clear enough to grasp scripture’s real meaning.