Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 5

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Request to See Māyā and the Vision of the Cosmic Deluge

Devanagari script

गृहीत्वाजादयो यस्य श्रीमत्पादाब्जदर्शनम् । मनसा योगपक्वेन स भवान् मेऽक्षिगोचर: ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

gṛhītvājādayo yasya śrīmat-pādābja-darśanam manasā yoga-pakvena sa bhavān me ’kṣi-gocaraḥ

Translation

心因瑜伽而成熟的梵天等诸天，仅凭瞻仰你吉祥庄严的莲花足便得至崇高之位；而今，主啊，你亲自显现在我眼前。

Synonyms

• gṛhītvā: having obtained
• gṛhītvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा), indeclinable verbal form; 'having taken/obtained'

• ajādayaḥ: Brahmā and others
• ajādayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: ajāḥ ādayaḥ (Brahmā and others)

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• śrīmat-pādābja-darśanam: the vision of (your) glorious lotus feet
• śrīmat-pādābja-darśanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīmat + pāda + abja + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa chain: pāda-abja (karmadhāraya: 'lotus-feet') + darśana (tatpuruṣa: 'vision of'); śrīmat qualifies pāda

• manasā: with the mind
• manasā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• yoga-pakvena: ripened by yoga
• yoga-pakvena: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yoga + pakva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with manasā; tatpuruṣa: yogena pakvam

• saḥ: that (one)/he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (तद्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhavān: you
• bhavān: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun of respect (भवत्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• me: to me/of me
• me: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• akṣi-gocaraḥ: visible to the eyes
• akṣi-gocaraḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣi + gocara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: akṣṇoḥ gocaraḥ

Purport

Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi points out that exalted demigods like Lord Brahmā achieved their positions simply by glimpsing the Lord’s lotus feet, and yet Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi was now able to see Lord Kṛṣṇa’s entire body. Thus he could not even imagine the extent of his good fortune.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Aja)
• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• King Parīkṣit

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about the power of seeing the Lord’s lotus feet?

This verse states that even exalted beings like Brahmā and others attain spiritual fulfillment by receiving the vision (darśana) of the Lord’s glorious lotus feet—highlighting darśana as transformative and liberating.

Why did King Parikshit say this to Shukadeva Goswami?

Parīkṣit honors Śukadeva as the rare, sanctifying presence whose association grants the highest spiritual benefit; he expresses that his own mind, refined by yoga and devotion, is now able to fully behold and receive the guru’s grace.

How can I apply this teaching in modern life?

Cultivate inner purity through steady practice (hearing, chanting, meditation, self-discipline) so the mind becomes “ripened,” and seek elevating association—especially sincere teachers and saintly devotees—so spiritual truth becomes experientially clear, not merely theoretical.