Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 21

Brahmā’s Tapasya, the Vision of Vaikuṇṭha, and the Lord’s Seed Instructions

Catuḥ-śloki

Devanagari script

वरं वरय भद्रं ते वरेशं माभिवाञ्छितम् । ब्रह्मञ्छ्रेय:परिश्राम: पुंसां मद्दर्शनावधि: ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

varaṁ varaya bhadraṁ te vareśaṁ mābhivāñchitam brahmañ chreyaḥ-pariśrāmaḥ puṁsāṁ mad-darśanāvadhiḥ

Translation

愿你吉祥，梵天啊。向我这位赐福之主祈求你所愿的一切。你当知：众生一切苦行与努力的终极福果，便是证悟并得见于我。

Synonyms

• varam: a boon
• varam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; ‘a boon’

• varaya: choose
• varaya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛ (धाातु) (causative/denominative sense ‘to choose’)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘choose/ask for’

• bhadram: good fortune
• bhadram: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/benediction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; आशीर्वादार्थक-प्रयोगः ‘good fortune’

• te: for you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; ‘to you/for you’

• vara-īśam: the Lord of boons
• vara-īśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘Lord of boons’ (addressed object/epithet)

• mā: not
• mā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (prohibitive particle)

• abhivāñchitam: desired
• abhivāñchitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-√vāñch (धाातु) (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘desired/asked for’ (with mā: ‘do not desire (something)’)

• brahman: O Brahmā
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन; ‘O Brahmā’

• śreyaḥ-pariśrāmaḥ: the ultimate end of the highest good
• śreyaḥ-pariśrāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक) + pariśrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘the culmination/limit of (seeking) the highest good’

• puṁsām: of people
• puṁsām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; ‘of men/people’

• mat-darśana-avadhiḥ: having My vision as its limit
• mat-darśana-avadhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + darśana (प्रातिपदिक) + avadhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘the limit/culmination being My vision’

Purport

The ultimate realization of the Supreme Truth is knowing and seeing face to face the Personality of Godhead. Realization of the impersonal Brahman and localized Paramātmā features of the Personality of Godhead is not ultimate realization. When one realizes the Supreme Lord, one does not struggle hard to perform such penances. The next stage of life is to discharge devotional service to the Lord just to satisfy Him. In other words, one who has realized and seen the Supreme Lord has attained all perfection because everything is included in that highest perfectional stage. The impersonalists and the pseudo mystics, however, cannot reach this state.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say is the highest result of spiritual practice?

This verse states that the supreme success and final fruit of all spiritual endeavor culminates in the direct vision (darśana) of the Lord.

Why did Lord Viṣṇu tell Brahmā to ask for a boon in Canto 2 Chapter 9?

After Brahmā’s intense tapasya and prayers, the Lord reveals Himself and invites Brahmā to ask a boon, affirming that divine darśana is the true perfection of Brahmā’s effort.

How can a modern devotee apply “mad-darśana” (seeing the Lord) in daily life?

By orienting practice toward devotion—hearing and chanting the Lord’s names, sincere prayer, and steady sādhana—so that spiritual effort aims at realizing the Lord’s presence rather than only worldly outcomes.