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

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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 8: The Nārāyaṇa-kavaca Shield
6.8.116.8.13

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.8.12

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Viśvarūpasince 6.8.4-6inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

ॐ हरिर्विदध्यान्मम सर्वरक्षां

न्यस्ताङ्‌घ्रिपद्म: पतगेन्द्रपृष्ठे ।

दरारिचर्मासिगदेषुचाप-

पाशान् दधानोऽष्टगुणोऽष्टबाहु: ॥ १२ ॥

om harir vidadhyān mama sarva-rakṣāṁ

nyastāṅghri-padmaḥ patagendra-pṛṣṭhe

darāri-carmāsi-gadeṣu-cāpa-

pāśān dadhāno ’ṣṭa-guno ’ṣṭa-bāhuḥ

Translation

The Supreme Lord, who sits on the back of the bird Garuḍa, touching him with His lotus feet, holds eight weapons — the conchshell, disc, shield, sword, club, arrows, bow and ropes. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead protect me at all times with His eight arms. He is all-powerful because He fully possesses the eight mystic powers [aṇimā, laghimā, etc.].

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Remain Subordinate and Seek the Lord’s Mercy

  1. 1

    Thinking oneself qualitatively one with the Supreme is called ahaṅgrahopāsanā; it does not make one God. The spirit soul shares the Supreme’s quality as river water shares the nature of sea water.

  2. 2

    One should meditate upon the Supreme Lord seated on Garuḍa, holding eight weapons in His eight arms, and seek His protection.

  3. 3

    Living entities are always subordinate to the Supreme. Their duty is always to seek His mercy for protection in all circumstances.

Key points from the purport
  • Thinking oneself one with the Supreme is called ahaṅgrahopāsanā.
  • Understanding that as a spirit soul he is equal in quality to the supreme soul the way the water of a river is of the same nature as the water of the sea, one should meditate upon the Supreme Lord, as described in this verse, and seek His protection.
  • Consequently their duty is to always seek the mercy of the Lord in order to be protected by Him in all circumstances.

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

Offense and dread → Moral reckoning. Heroic power does not guarantee inner freedom.

Chapters 7–10 of Canto 6: Indra, Bṛhaspati and the emergence of Vṛtrāsura. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 8: The Nārāyaṇa-kavaca Shield

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

This mantra should be distributed all over the front and back of the body. The twelve-syllable mantra, which begins with the praṇava, oṁkāra, is oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.8
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. omO Lord
  2. hariḥthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  3. vidadhyātmay He bestow
  4. mamamy
  5. sarva-rakṣāmprotection from all sides
  6. nyastaplaced
  7. aṅghri-padmaḥwhose lotus feet
  8. patagendra-pṛṣṭheon the back of Garuḍa, the king of all birds
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

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 6.8

    In this verse: “protect”, “protection”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 6.8

    In this verse: “duty”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 6.8

    In this verse: “mercy”

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

How does knowing that you remain subordinate to the Lord shape your prayers?

Practice

Offer one simple prayer asking the Supreme Lord for His mercy and protection today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRemain Subordinate and Seek the Lord’s MercyThis 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.

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