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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 6.8.8-10

Who is speaking and story frame

न्यसेद्‌धृदय ओंङ्कारं विकारमनु मूर्धनि ।

षकारं तु भ्रुवोर्मध्ये णकारं शिखया न्यसेत् ॥ ८ ॥

वेकारं नेत्रयोर्युञ्‍ज्यान्नकारं सर्वसन्धिषु ।

मकारमस्त्रमुद्दिश्य मन्त्रमूर्तिर्भवेद् बुध: ॥ ९ ॥

सविसर्गं फडन्तं तत्सर्वदिक्षु विनिर्दिशेत् ।

ॐ विष्णवे नम इति ॥ १० ॥

nyased dhṛdaya oṁkāraṁ

vi-kāram anu mūrdhani

ṣa-kāraṁ tu bhruvor madhye

ṇa-kāraṁ śikhayā nyaset

ve-kāraṁ netrayor yuñjyān

na-kāraṁ sarva-sandhiṣu

ma-kāram astram uddiśya

mantra-mūrtir bhaved budhaḥ

savisargaṁ phaḍ-antaṁ tat

sarva-dikṣu vinirdiśet

oṁ viṣṇave nama iti

Translation

One must then chant the mantra of six syllables [oṁ viṣṇave namaḥ]. One should place the syllable om on his heart, the syllable vi on the top of his head, the syllable sa between his eyebrows, the syllable na on his tuft of hair [śikhā], and the syllable ve between his eyes. The chanter of the mantra should then place the syllable na on all the joints of his body and meditate on the syllable ma as being a weapon. He should thus become the perfect personification of the mantra. Thereafter, adding visarga to the final syllable ma he should chant the mantra maḥ astrāya phaṭ in all directions, beginning from the east. In this way, all directions will be bound by the protective armor of the mantra.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Mantra Armor Extends in All Directions

  1. 1

    One next chants the six-syllable mantra oṁ viṣṇave namaḥ and places its syllables on the specified parts of the body.

  2. 2

    The chanter places na on all the joints and meditates on ma as a weapon. In this way, he should become the perfect personification of the mantra.

  3. 3

    Adding visarga to ma, one chants maḥ astrāya phaṭ in all directions, beginning from the east. All directions are thus bound by the protective armor of the mantra.

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:

One must progressively place the syllables of the mantra on the heart, the head, between the two eyebrows, on the śikhā and between the eyes, and then one should chant maḥ astrāya phaṭ and with this mantra protect himself from all directions. Nādevo devam arcayet: one who has not risen to the level of a deva cannot chant this mantra.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.8
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nyasetshould place
  2. hṛdayeon the heart
  3. oṁkāramthe praṇava, oṁkāra
  4. vi-kāramthe syllable vi of viṣṇave
  5. anuthereafter
  6. mūrdhanion the top of the head
  7. ṣa-kāramthe syllable sa
  8. tuand
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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 6.8

    In this verse: “chant”, “chants”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

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

    In this verse: “protective”

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 does this careful attention to the body and all directions teach you about the prayer’s scope?

Practice

Read these instructions slowly today, noting that the prayer seeks protection in every direction.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayMantra Armor Extends in All DirectionsThis 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 6.8.8-10? Get an answer from the verses themselves.