1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by canto and chapter

Canto

Canto 12 · The Age of Deterioration · 13 chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

How to study this verse, in six steps

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.

Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›

Canto 12 · Chapter 8: Mārkaṇḍeya’s Prayers to Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi

12.8.48 12.9.1

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 12.8.49

Āśraya· The supreme shelter

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣisince 12.8.40inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

यद्दर्शनं निगम आत्मरह:प्रकाशं

मुह्यन्ति यत्र कवयोऽजपरा यतन्त: ।

तं सर्ववादविषयप्रतिरूपशीलं

वन्दे महापुरुषमात्मनिगूढबोधम् ॥ ४९ ॥

yad-darśanaṁ nigama ātma-rahaḥ-prakāśaṁ

muhyanti yatra kavayo ’ja-parā yatantaḥ

taṁ sarva-vāda-viṣaya-pratirūpa-śīlaṁ

vande mahā-puruṣam ātma-nigūḍha-bodham

Translation

My dear Lord, the Vedic literatures alone reveal confidential knowledge of Your supreme personality, and thus even such great scholars as Lord Brahmā himself are bewildered in their attempt to understand You through empirical methods. Each philosopher understands You according to his particular speculative conclusions. I worship that Supreme Person, knowledge of whom is hidden by the bodily designations covering the conditioned soul’s spiritual identity.

Read the purport on Vedabase.io

From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Loving Service Yields Perfect Knowledge

1
The Vedic literatures alone reveal confidential knowledge of the Lord’s supreme personality. Even Brahmā is bewildered by speculative attempts, and philosophers describe the Supreme Truth according to their material conditioning.
2
The highest knowledge is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can understand Him only by fully surrendering to Him and serving Him with love.
3
Worship mixed with speculation or activities aimed at personal rewards gives mixed and bewildering results. Pure loving service, free from these pursuits, yields perfect knowledge of the Supreme and satisfies the eternal soul.

Key points from the purport

Even great demigods like Brahmā are bewildered in their speculative attempts to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Each philosopher is covered by a unique combination of the modes of nature and thus describes the Supreme Truth according to his own material conditioning.
The highest knowledge is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one can understand Him only by fully surrendering to Him and serving Him with love.

The purport's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Inquiry → Reverence. The transmission of sacred knowledge continues beyond the king's life.

Chapters 7–8 of Canto 12: The Vedic corpus and Mārkaṇḍeya's devotion. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 8: Mārkaṇḍeya’s Prayers to Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

You Yourself manifest the proponents of Sāṅkhya and other philosophies, and thus Your true personal identity remains hidden beneath the designative covering of the jīva soul. I offer my homage to You, the Mahāpuruṣa.”

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 12.8

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

yatof whom
darśanamthe vision
nigamein the Vedas
ātmaof the Supreme Soul
rahaḥthe mystery
prakāśamwhich reveals
muhyantibecome bewildered
yatraabout which

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

Āśraya · The summum bonum
Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10
Jñāna · Spiritual insight
Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 12.8
In this verse: “knowledge”, “philosopher”, “understand”
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 12.8
In this verse: “worship”
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 12.8
In this verse: “material”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Where am I mixing worship with a desire for personal rewards or reliance on my own speculation?

Practice

Offer one prayer to Kṛṣṇa today asking only for the opportunity to serve Him with love, without requesting a personal reward.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLoving Service Yields Perfect KnowledgeThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 12.8.49? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories