Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.77.36
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesLord Hari Defeats the Great Magician
“Employing His disc, Lord Hari removed that great magician’s head with its earrings and crown, just as Purandara had used his thunderbolt to cut off Vṛtra’s head. Seeing this, all of Śālva’s followers cried out, “Alas, alas!””
What the purport teaches
- Lord Hari used His disc to remove Śālva’s head, together with its earrings and crown. Śālva’s great magical powers did not prevent his defeat.
- The translation compares this act to Purandara cutting off Vṛtra’s head with his thunderbolt.
- Seeing Śālva killed, all his followers cried out, “Alas, alas!” Their cries expressed their distress at his fall.
Try this today
Write one sentence acknowledging Lord Hari’s supremacy and your desire to engage in His devotional service.
Ask yourself
What does Śālva’s defeat show you about the limits of his magical power before Lord Hari?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
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.