Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 3

Sāṅkhya of Creation and Annihilation

Sarga–Nirodha-viveka

Devanagari script

तन्मायाफलरूपेण केवलं निर्विकल्पितम् । वाङ्‍मनोऽगोचरं सत्यं द्विधा समभवद् बृहत् ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

tan māyā-phala-rūpeṇa kevalaṁ nirvikalpitam vāṅ-mano-’gocaraṁ satyaṁ dvidhā samabhavad bṛhat

Translation

那唯一的至上真实，虽以幻力（māyā）之果相显现，仍无二无分别，言语与心思所不能及，广大无边；祂遂显为二类：物质自然（prakṛti）与欲享其显现的众生（jīva）。

Synonyms

• तत्: that (reality)
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देश्य (that)

• मायाफलरूपेण: in the form of māyā’s result
• मायाफलरूपेण: Karana (करण/Instrument; manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: माया-फल-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपे अव्ययीभावे; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (मायायाः फलस्य रूपेण) — 'in the form of the fruit of māyā'

• केवलम्: only
• केवलम्: Avadharana (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial) — 'only/merely'

• निर्विकल्पितम्: undifferentiated
• निर्विकल्पितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-वि-कल्प् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'made without differentiation/undivided'

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• अगोचरम्: beyond reach
• अगोचरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक-विशेषण; (वाक्-मनः) इत्यस्य गोचरः न — 'beyond range'

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• द्विधा: in two ways
• द्विधा: Prakara (प्रकार/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in two ways)

• समभवत्: became
• समभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• बृहत्: vast
• बृहत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बृहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (सत्यम्)

Purport

Both material nature and the living entity are potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Uddhava

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam 11.24.3 say about māyā and the Absolute Truth?

It says the one undivided Absolute Truth remains beyond speech and mind, yet the vast cosmos appears as a twofold manifestation as the effect of His own māyā.

Why does Krishna speak of the Truth as both undivided and yet appearing in two ways?

Because the Supreme Reality is nondual in itself, but through māyā it is perceived as differentiated manifestation—an explanatory framework Krishna gives to Uddhava to understand creation without denying the oneness of Truth.

How can this verse be applied in modern life for spiritual practice?

It encourages seeing changing experiences as māyā’s effects while grounding one’s faith and meditation in the unchanging Reality beyond mental and verbal concepts.