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

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Canto 3 · The Status Quo · 33 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 3 · Chapter 8: Manifestation of Brahmā from Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu
3.8.103.8.12

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.8.11

Nirodha· Winding up
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 3.8.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

सोऽन्त:शरीरेऽर्पितभूतसूक्ष्म:

कालात्मिकां शक्तिमुदीरयाण: ।

उवास तस्मिन् सलिले पदे स्वे

यथानलो दारुणि रुद्धवीर्य: ॥ ११ ॥

so ’ntaḥ śarīre ’rpita-bhūta-sūkṣmaḥ

kālātmikāṁ śaktim udīrayāṇaḥ

uvāsa tasmin salile pade sve

yathānalo dāruṇi ruddha-vīryaḥ

Translation

Just like the strength of fire within fuel wood, the Lord remained within the water of dissolution, submerging all the living entities in their subtle bodies. He lay in the self-invigorated energy called kāla.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Living Entities Remain During Dissolution

  1. 1

    The Lord remained within the water of dissolution, like the strength of fire within fuel wood.

  2. 2

    When the three planetary systems merged into the water, the living entities remained in their subtle bodies through the energy called kāla.

  3. 3

    Their gross bodies became unmanifest, but their subtle bodies remained. Material energy was therefore not completely wound up, as it is in full dissolution.

Key points from the purport
  • After the three worlds — the upper, lower and middle planetary systems — merged into the water of dissolution, the living entities of all the three worlds remained in their subtle bodies by dint of the energy called kāla.
  • In this dissolution, the gross bodies became unmanifest, but the subtle bodies existed, just like the water of the material creation.
  • Thus the material energy was not completely wound up, as is the case in the full dissolution of the material world.

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

Mystery → Cosmic wonder. The origin of the world is revealed through inquiry and divine grace.

Chapters 5–12 of Canto 3: Creation and Brahmā's bewilderment. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 8: Manifestation of Brahmā from Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu

Brahmā searches for his origin upon the lotus arising from Viṣṇu and beholds the Lord.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.8
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saḥthe Supreme Lord
  2. antaḥwithin
  3. śarīrein the transcendental body
  4. arpitakept
  5. bhūtamaterial elements
  6. sūkṣmaḥsubtle
  7. kāla-ātmikāmthe form of time
  8. śaktimenergy
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Nirodha · Returning home, back to Godhead

    What happens when everything here comes to an end? · Subject 8 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 3.8

    In this verse: “material”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does this description help me distinguish becoming unmanifest from ceasing to exist?

Practice

Write one sentence explaining what remains when the gross bodies become unmanifest.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLiving Entities Remain During DissolutionThis 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 3.8.11? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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