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Canto 6 · Prescribed Duties for Mankind · 19 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 6 · Chapter 12: Vṛtrāsura’s Glorious Death
6.11.276.12.2

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.12.1

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 6.12.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीऋषिरुवाच

एवं जिहासुर्नृप देहमाजौ

मृत्युं वरं विजयान्मन्यमान: ।

शूलं प्रगृह्याभ्यपतत् सुरेन्द्रं

यथा महापुरुषं कैटभोऽप्सु ॥ १ ॥

śrī-ṛṣir uvāca

evaṁ jihāsur nṛpa deham ājau

mṛtyuṁ varaṁ vijayān manyamānaḥ

śūlaṁ pragṛhyābhyapatat surendraṁ

yathā mahā-puruṣaṁ kaiṭabho ’psu

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Desiring to give up his body, Vṛtrāsura considered death in the battle preferable to victory. O King Parīkṣit, he vigorously took up his trident and with great force attacked Lord Indra, the King of heaven, just as Kaiṭabha had forcefully attacked the Supreme Personality of Godhead when the universe was inundated.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Returning to Kṛṣṇa Matters More Than Victory

  1. 1

    Indra was hesitant to kill Vṛtrāsura because he recognized him as a great devotee.

  2. 2

    Vṛtrāsura was not interested in victory. He wanted to return home, back to Godhead.

  3. 3

    The purport explains that a devotee who returns to Lord Kṛṣṇa after giving up the body does not accept another material body.

Key points from the purport
  • Although Vṛtrāsura repeatedly encouraged Indra to kill him with the thunderbolt, King Indra was morose at having to kill such a great devotee and was hesitant to throw it.
  • Vṛtrāsura, disappointed that King Indra was reluctant despite his encouragement, took the initiative very forcefully by throwing his trident at Indra.
  • Vṛtrāsura was not at all interested in victory; he was interested in being killed so that he could immediately return home, back to Godhead.

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

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 6.12.1 quotesBG 4.9

As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9), tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti: after giving up his body, a devotee immediately returns to Lord Kṛṣṇa and never returns to accept another body.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Danger → Fearless longing. A seeming enemy reveals the heart of a great devotee.

Chapters 11–13 of Canto 6: Vṛtrāsura's prayers and final battle. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 12: Vṛtrāsura’s Glorious Death

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

This chapter describes how Indra, the King of heaven, killed Vṛtrāsura despite great reluctance. After Vṛtrāsura finished speaking, he released his trident against King Indra with great anger, but Indra, using his thunderbolt, which was many times more powerful than the trident, broke the trident to pieces and cut off one of Vṛtrāsura’s arms.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.12
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-ṛṣiḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
  2. evamthus
  3. jihāsuḥvery eager to give up
  4. nṛpaO King Parīkṣit
  5. dehamthe body
  6. ājauin battle
  7. mṛtyumdeath
  8. varambetter
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 6.12

    In this verse: “death”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 6.12

    In this verse: “give up”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 6.12

    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

What matters more to me: outward success or drawing closer to Lord Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Set aside a few minutes today for devotional service rather than pursuing recognition.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayReturning to Kṛṣṇa Matters More Than VictoryThis 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 6.12.1? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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