Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 23

The Universal Form (Virāṭ-Puruṣa): The Lord’s Entry into the Elements, the Devas, and the Origin of Varṇāśrama

Devanagari script

बुद्धिं चास्य विनिर्भिन्नां वागीशो धिष्ण्यमाविशत् । बोधेनांशेन बोद्धव्यम् प्रतिपत्तिर्यतो भवेत् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

buddhiṁ cāsya vinirbhinnāṁ vāg-īśo dhiṣṇyam āviśat bodhenāṁśena boddhavyam pratipattir yato bhavet

Translation

当那巨大神形的智慧单独显现时，吠陀之主、言语之主梵天以部分觉知之力进入其中；因此众生得以体验并领会可被认识的对象。

Synonyms

• बुद्धिम्: intellect
• बुद्धिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अस्य: of him/its
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• विनिर्भिन्नाम्: separated/manifested
• विनिर्भिन्नाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-निर्भिन्न (कृदन्त; √भिद्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘बुद्धिम्’

• वागीशः: lord of speech
• वागीशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: वाचः ईशः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धिष्ण्यम्: the seat/abode (organ)
• धिष्ण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धिष्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आविशत्: entered
• आविशत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√विश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बोधेन: by cognition/understanding
• बोधेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अंशेन: by (his) portion
• अंशेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• बोद्धव्यम्: that which is to be known
• बोद्धव्यम्: Karma (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बोद्धव्य (कृदन्त; √बुध् अवबोधने)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be known’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र विधेय-भावः

• प्रतिपत्तिः: understanding/realization
• प्रतिपत्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिपत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यतः: whereby/from which
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु-अव्यय (causal indeclinable: ‘from which/whereby/therefore’)

• भवेत्: may arise/be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Characters & Entities

• Vāgīśa

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about intelligence and true understanding in Canto 3?

This verse teaches that when intelligence becomes manifest, true comprehension (pratipatti) arises through a portion of awakened knowledge—showing that realization comes from illumined cognition, not mere information.

Who is Vāgīśa in the Bhagavatam, and why does he enter the 'seat' mentioned here?

Vāgīśa is the presiding deity of speech. In the description of cosmic manifestation, deities enter their respective abodes (organs/fields) of the universal form to activate function—here, speech and the intelligible expression connected with buddhi.

How can this shloka be applied in modern life for spiritual growth?

Cultivate awakened knowledge through śravaṇa (hearing), manana (reflection), and bhakti-based practice; then speech and intelligence become aligned, producing clearer understanding and wiser decisions.