Previous Verse
Next Verse

Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 11

Ātmā’s Unborn Nature and Fearlessness at Death

Parīkṣit’s Final Instruction

अहं ब्रह्म परं धाम ब्रह्माहं परमं पदम् । एवं समीक्ष्य चात्मानमात्मन्याधाय निष्कले ॥ ११ ॥ दशन्तं तक्षकं पादे लेलिहानं विषाननै: । न द्रक्ष्यसि शरीरं च विश्वं च पृथगात्मन: ॥ १२ ॥

ahaṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma brahmāhaṁ paramaṁ padam evaṁ samīkṣya cātmānam ātmany ādhāya niṣkale

当如是观:“我即梵、至上之居处;而彼梵——至上归宿——亦与我不二。”如是将自身安置并奉献于离诸错认的至上灵(Paramātmā),即使塔克沙卡以毒牙舔舐而来咬你之足,你亦不觉;你也不见将死之身与周遭物质世界,因为你已证悟自己与它们相离。

ahamI
aham:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन
brahmaBrahman
brahma:
Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
TypeNoun
Rootbrahman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)
paramsupreme
param:
Karta (कर्ता/predicative qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of dhāma / brahma)
dhāmaabode, splendor
dhāma:
Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
TypeNoun
Rootdhāman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)
brahmaBrahman
brahma:
Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
TypeNoun
Rootbrahman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय
ahamI
aham:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन
paramamsupreme
paramam:
Karta (कर्ता/predicative qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootparama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of padam)
padamstate, position
padam:
Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
TypeNoun
Rootpada (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय
evamthus
evam:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/manner)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootevam (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus)
samīkṣyahaving examined/considered
samīkṣya:
Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootsam-īkṣ (धातु)
Formकृदन्त—ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातुः—ईक्ष् (दर्शने: to see) उपसर्ग-सम् (sam-)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय
ātmānamthe self
ātmānam:
Karma (कर्म/object)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
ātmaniin the Self
ātmani:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन
ādhāyahaving placed
ādhāya:
Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootā-dhā (धातु)
Formकृदन्त—ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातुः—धा (धारणे/स्थापने: to place) उपसर्ग-आ (ā-)
niṣkaleO partless one
niṣkale:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
TypeAdjective
Rootniṣkala (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषण (addressing the hearer: ‘O partless one’)

FAQs

This verse teaches contemplative absorption: by understanding the self’s spiritual identity and fixing the mind in the indivisible Absolute (Brahman), one becomes steady in transcendental realization.

As Parikshit approached death, Śukadeva gave the essence of liberation—how to withdraw the mind from bodily fear and rest it in the Absolute, the sure refuge at life’s end.

Practice daily inner recollection: reduce identification with the body and anxieties, and regularly fix the mind on the spiritual self through sacred study, prayerful remembrance, and meditation on the Absolute.