Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 40

Kriyā-yoga, the Virāṭ-Puruṣa Mapping, and the Sun-God’s Monthly Expansions

Devanagari script

ऋतुर्वर्चा भरद्वाज: पर्जन्य: सेनजित्तथा । विश्व ऐरावतश्चैव तपस्याख्यं नयन्त्यमी ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

ṛtur varcā bharadvājaḥ parjanyaḥ senajit tathā viśva airāvataś caiva tapasyākhyaṁ nayanty amī

Translation

利图为夜叉，瓦尔叉为罗刹，婆罗陀婆阇为圣仙，帕尔迦尼亚为太阳神，塞那吉特为天女，毗湿瓦为乾闼婆，艾罗婆多为那伽——诸位共同主宰名为“Tapasyā（苦行）”之月。

Synonyms

• ऋतुः: Rtu (name)
• ऋतुः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वर्चाः: Varcā (name)
• वर्चाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्चस्/वर्चा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भरद्वाजः: Bharadvāja
• भरद्वाजः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरद्वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पर्जन्यः: Parjanya
• पर्जन्यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्जन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सेनजित्: Senajit
• सेनजित्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेनजित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हलन्त-प्रातिपदिक (ending in -t)

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध/अन्वय (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/अनुक्रमसूचक (also/likewise)

• विश्वः: Viśva (name)
• विश्वः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ऐरावतः: Airāvata
• ऐरावतः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐरावत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/अन्वय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: सम्बन्ध/अन्वय (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• तपस्या-आख्यम्: (month) named Tapasyā
• तपस्या-आख्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस्या (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): ‘तपस्याया आख्यं’ = named Tapasyā

• नयन्ति: they lead, they conduct
• नयन्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपदम्

• अमी: these (ones)
• अमी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

Characters & Entities

• Ṛtu
• Varcā
• Bharadvāja
• Parjanya
• Senajit
• Viśva
• Airāvata

FAQs

Who are the presiding deities of the month Tapasyā (Phālguna) in Srimad Bhagavatam 12.11?

Bhagavatam 12.11.40 states that Ṛtu, Varcā, Bharadvāja, Parjanya, Senajit, Viśva, and Airāvata preside over and conduct the month named Tapasyā (Phālguna).

What does Srimad Bhagavatam teach about time and the administration of months?

This verse shows that time is not random; the months and seasons are governed within a divine system, with specific celestial associates appointed to manage each month as part of the Lord’s cosmic order.

How can devotees apply Bhagavatam’s teaching about seasons and time in modern life?

By seeing time as sacred and purposeful—planning sādhana steadily, living with gratitude for nature’s cycles (like rain and seasons), and remembering that the universe functions under higher divine governance.