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

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Canto 2 · The Cosmic Manifestation · 10 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 2 · Chapter 7: Scheduled Incarnations with Specific Functions
2.7.132.7.15

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.7.14

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Brahmāsince 2.7.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Brahmā → Nārada Muni

त्रैपिष्टपोरुभयहा स नृसिंहरूपं

कृत्वा भ्रमद्भ्रुकुटिदंष्ट्रकरालवक्त्रम् ।

दैत्येन्द्रमाशु गदयाभिपतन्तमारा-

दूरौ निपात्य विददार नखै: स्फुरन्तम् ॥ १४ ॥

trai-piṣṭaporu-bhaya-hā sa nṛsiṁha-rūpaṁ

kṛtvā bhramad-bhrukuṭi-daṁṣṭra-karāla-vaktram

daityendram āśu gadayābhipatantam ārād

ūrau nipātya vidadāra nakhaiḥ sphurantam

Translation

The Personality of Godhead assumed the incarnation of Nṛsiṁhadeva in order to vanquish the great fears of the demigods. He killed the king of the demons [Hiraṇyakaśipu], who challenged the Lord with a club in his hand, by placing the demon on His thighs and piercing him with His nails, rolling His eyebrows in anger and showing His fearful teeth and mouth.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Material Power Cannot Defeat the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    Hiraṇyakaśipu became proud of his material achievements and thought himself practically immortal through Brahmājī’s benediction. Yet Brahmājī himself was not immortal and could not grant immortality.

  2. 2

    The Lord appeared as Nṛsiṁhadeva, half-man and half-lion, beyond the demon’s imagination. He killed Hiraṇyakaśipu while keeping the conditions of Brahmājī’s benediction intact.

  3. 3

    Pride in material acquisitions can lead one to challenge the Supreme Lord and torment His devotees, as Hiraṇyakaśipu tormented Prahlāda Mahārāja. Such materialistic plans are always frustrated by the all-powerful Lord.

Key points from the purport
  • The history of Hiraṇyakaśipu and his great devotee-son Prahlāda Mahārāja is narrated in the Seventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
  • The Lord, however, assumed the incarnation of half-man and half-lion, which was beyond the imagination of a materialistic demon like Hiraṇyakaśipu, and thus, keeping pace with the benediction of Brahmājī, the Lord killed him.
  • In this extreme situation, the Lord assumed the incarnation of Nṛsiṁhadeva, and just to finish the enemy of the demigods, the Lord killed Hiraṇyakaśipu in a manner beyond the demon’s imagination.

Śrīla Prabhupāda'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

Uncertainty → Awe. The scale of reality widens dramatically.

Chapters 4–7 of Canto 2: The creation, cosmic Person and incarnations. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 7: Scheduled Incarnations with Specific Functions

Brahmā recounts the Lord’s incarnations and explains that unalloyed surrender enables one to understand Him.

Back to this verse in chapter 2.7
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. trai-piṣṭapathe demigods
  2. uru-bhaya-hāone who vanquishes great fears
  3. saḥHe (the Personality of Godhead)
  4. nṛsiṁha-rūpamassuming the incarnation Nṛsiṁha
  5. kṛtvādoing so
  6. bhramatby rolling
  7. bhru-kuṭieyebrows
  8. daṁṣṭrateeth
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 2.7

    In this verse: “fears”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 2.7

    In this verse: “pride”, “proud”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 2.7

    In this verse: “king”

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

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Where might pride in possessions or achievements weaken your relationship with the Lord?

Practice

Identify one achievement you feel proud of, and take a moment to acknowledge that it does not make you independent of the Supreme Lord.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 2.7's connections

Live this todayMaterial Power Cannot Defeat the Supreme LordThis 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 2.7.14? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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