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

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Canto 7 · The Science of God · 15 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 · Text 7.8.42

Who is speaking and story frame

श्रीइन्द्र उवाच

प्रत्यानीता: परम भवता त्रायता न: स्वभागा

दैत्याक्रान्तं हृदयकमलं तद्गृहं प्रत्यबोधि ।

कालग्रस्तं कियदिदमहो नाथ शुश्रूषतां ते

मुक्तिस्तेषां न हि बहुमता नारसिंहापरै: किम् ॥ ४२ ॥

śrī-indra uvāca

pratyānītāḥ parama bhavatā trāyatā naḥ sva-bhāgā

daityākrāntaṁ hṛdaya-kamalaṁ tad-gṛhaṁ pratyabodhi

kāla-grastaṁ kiyad idam aho nātha śuśrūṣatāṁ te

muktis teṣāṁ na hi bahumatā nārasiṁhāparaiḥ kim

Translation

King Indra said: O Supreme Lord, You are our deliverer and protector. Our shares of sacrifices, which are actually Yours, have been recovered from the demon by You. Because the demoniac king Hiraṇyakaśipu was most fearsome, our hearts, which are Your permanent abode, were all overtaken by him. Now, by Your presence, the gloom and darkness in our hearts have been dissipated. O Lord, for those who always engage in Your service, which is more exalted than liberation, all material opulence is insignificant. They do not even care for liberation, not to speak of the benefits of kāma, artha and dharma.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Let the Heart Be the Lord’s Abode

  1. 1

    The demigods are devotees who follow Vedic rules, although they remain attached to material enjoyment. Hiraṇyakaśipu disturbed their duties and filled their hearts with fear.

  2. 2

    Their hearts were meant to be the Supreme Lord’s abode, but thoughts of the demon occupied them. With Hiraṇyakaśipu gone, they could again easily think of the Lord.

  3. 3

    The highest yogī worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead with faith and loving service. For those always engaged in His service, even liberation is unimportant, and material opulence is insignificant.

Key points from the purport
  • The hearts of the demigods are always filled with fear of the demons, and therefore they cannot think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • The engagement of the demigods is to think of the Lord always within the cores of their hearts.
  • Thus their hearts, which are meant to be the abode of the Supreme Lord, are practically occupied by the demons.

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 7.8.42 quotesBG 6.47

The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (6.47): “And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.”

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

Terror and divine fury → Protection and compassion. The crisis resolves through relationship rather than domination.

Chapters 8–10 of Canto 7: Nṛsiṁhadeva appears; Prahlāda pacifies Him. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 8: Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva Slays the King of the Demons

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The Lord not only killed Hiraṇyakaśipu, the King of the demons, but also killed many of his followers. When there was no one else to fight, the Lord, roaring with anger, sat down on Hiraṇyakaśipu’s throne.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.8
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-indraḥ uvācaIndra, the King of heaven, said
  2. pratyānītāḥrecovered
  3. paramaO Supreme
  4. bhavatāby Your Lordship
  5. trāyatāwho are protecting
  6. naḥus
  7. sva-bhāgāḥshares in the sacrifices
  8. daitya-ākrāntamafflicted by the demon
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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 7.8

    In this verse: “fearsome”, “fear”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.8

    In this verse: “material”, “attached”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 7.8

    In this verse: “dharma”, “duties”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What occupies my heart and distracts me from remembering the Lord?

Practice

Set aside one quiet minute to think of the Supreme Lord and offer Him a prayer of loving service.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Connected stories

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

Live this todayLet the Heart Be the Lord’s AbodeThis 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 7.8.42? Get an answer from the verses themselves.