Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 2

Bhakti as the Easy and Supreme Yoga: Seeing Kṛṣṇa in All and Uddhava’s Departure to Badarikāśrama

Devanagari script

प्रायश: पुण्डरीकाक्ष युञ्जन्ते योगिनो मन: । विषीदन्त्यसमाधानान्मनोनिग्रहकर्शिता: ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

prāyaśaḥ puṇḍarīkākṣa yuñjanto yogino manaḥ viṣīdanty asamādhānān mano-nigraha-karśitāḥ

Translation

莲眼之主啊，通常瑜伽行者努力令心安住；但因不能圆满三摩地而生沮丧，受制心之苦而疲惫。

Synonyms

• प्रायशः: generally
• प्रायशः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रायशः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb) ‘generally/for the most part’

• पुण्डरीकाक्ष: O lotus-eyed one
• पुण्डरीकाक्ष: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीकाक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘he whose eyes are like lotuses’

• युञ्जन्ते: engage/apply (the mind)
• युञ्जन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √युज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• योगिनः: yogis
• योगिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मनः: the mind
• मनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विषीदन्ति: become dejected
• विषीदन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √सद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; (पदपाठे) विषीदन्ति

• असमाधानात्: from lack of concentration
• असमाधानात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असमाधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; ablative ‘due to lack of concentration’

• मनः-निग्रह-कर्शिताः: wearied by mind-control
• मनः-निग्रह-कर्शिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + निग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्शित (कृदन्त; √कृश्/√कर्श् ‘to afflict’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘afflicted by restraining the mind’ qualifying योगिनः

Purport

Without the shelter of the Supreme Lord, a yogī easily becomes discouraged in the difficult task of fixing his mind on the Supreme.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Puṇḍarīkākṣa)
• Uddhava

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the difficulty of controlling the mind?

This verse explains that many yogīs attempt to restrain the mind, but without stable samādhi they become disheartened, exhausted by constant mental control.

Why did Uddhava say this to Krishna (Puṇḍarīkākṣa)?

In Canto 11’s Uddhava Gītā dialogue, Uddhava is seeking the surest spiritual path; he notes that mere mind-restraint often leads to frustration when steady absorption does not arise.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Instead of relying only on forceful suppression of thoughts, cultivate steady, positive absorption—especially through devotion and focused remembrance—so the mind gains a stable anchor rather than constant inner conflict.