Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 43

Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Tested by Indra and Blessed by Nara-Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

नान्यं तवाङ्‌घ्र्युपनयादपवर्गमूर्ते: क्षेमं जनस्य परितोभिय ईश विद्म: । ब्रह्मा बिभेत्यलमतो द्विपरार्धधिष्ण्य: कालस्य ते किमुत तत्कृतभौतिकानाम् ॥ ४३ ॥

Transliteration

nānyaṁ tavāṅghry-upanayād apavarga-mūrteḥ kṣemaṁ janasya parito-bhiya īśa vidmaḥ brahmā bibhety alam ato dvi-parārdha-dhiṣṇyaḥ kālasya te kim uta tat-kṛta-bhautikānām

Translation

噢主宰啊，您即是解脱（阿婆伐尔迦）的化身。对被恐惧环伺的众生而言，除依止您莲花足外，我不知还有何安稳之道。连位居两帕拉尔达之久的梵天也畏惧时间的流逝，更何况他所创造的物质众生！

Synonyms

• na: not
• na: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation

• anyam: any other
• anyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifies implied 'upāyaṃ' (means)

• tava: of you/your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; pronoun

• aṅghri-upanayāt: than approaching your feet
• aṅghri-upanayāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅghri (प्रातिपदिक) + upanaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative, 5th), Ekavacana; 'bringing near to the feet'

• apavarga-mūrteḥ: of you, whose form is liberation
• apavarga-mūrteḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apavarga (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; 'form of liberation'

• kṣemam: welfare/safety
• kṣemam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣema (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• janasya: of people
• janasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• paritaḥ: on all sides
• paritaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paritaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb 'all around'

• bhiyaḥ: from fear
• bhiyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Pañcamī vibhakti, Ekavacana; 'from fear'

• īśa: O Lord
• īśa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• vidmaḥ: we know
• vidmaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra, Uttama-puruṣa, Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• bibheti: fears
• bibheti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhī (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• alam: indeed
• alam: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: alam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle 'enough/indeed' (emphatic)

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; causal adverb 'therefore/from that'

• dvi-parārdha-dhiṣṇyaḥ: whose station spans two parārdhas
• dvi-parārdha-dhiṣṇyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक) + parārdha (प्रातिपदिक) + dhiṣṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'whose seat/term is two parārdhas' (i.e., Brahmā's lifespan)

• kālasya: of Time
• kālasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• te: of you
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti, Ekavacana (enclitic); 'of you'

• kim: what then
• kim: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative used as avyaya in expression 'kim uta'

• uta: then/more so
• uta: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uta (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle 'then/moreover'

• tat-kṛta-bhautikānām: of material beings produced by it (Time)
• tat-kṛta-bhautikānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + bhautika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: 'by that (Time) made/produced material beings'

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Īśa (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say is the only real shelter from fear?

This verse says there is no true welfare or safety for people surrounded by fear except approaching and taking shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet, who is the very embodiment of liberation.

Why does the Bhagavatam say even Brahmā fears Time (Kāla)?

Because Kāla is the Lord’s controlling potency—so powerful that even Brahmā’s extremely long lifespan and exalted post cannot protect him from time’s influence.

Practical application: how can I use this teaching in modern life?

Recognize that worldly arrangements cannot remove deep insecurity; cultivate steady bhakti—remembering the Lord, prayer, and surrender—to find inner protection beyond changing time and circumstances.