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

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Canto 8 · Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations · 24 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 8.10.19-24

Who is speaking and story frame

तस्यासन्सर्वतो यानैर्यूथानां पतयोऽसुरा: ।

नमुचि: शम्बरो बाणो विप्रचित्तिरयोमुख: ॥ १९ ॥

द्विमूर्धा कालनाभोऽथ प्रहेतिर्हेतिरिल्वल: ।

शकुनिर्भूतसन्तापो वज्रदंष्ट्रो विरोचन: ॥ २० ॥

हयग्रीव: शङ्कुशिरा: कपिलो मेघदुन्दुभि: ।

तारकश्चक्रद‍ृक् शुम्भो निशुम्भो जम्भ उत्कल: ॥ २१ ॥

अरिष्टोऽरिष्टनेमिश्च मयश्च त्रिपुराधिप: ।

अन्ये पौलोमकालेया निवातकवचादय: ॥ २२ ॥

अलब्धभागा: सोमस्य केवलं क्लेशभागिन: ।

सर्व एते रणमुखे बहुशो निर्जितामरा: ॥ २३ ॥

सिंहनादान्विमुञ्चन्त: शङ्खान्दध्मुर्महारवान् ।

द‍ृष्ट्वा सपत्नानुत्सिक्तान्बलभित् कुपितो भृशम् ॥ २४ ॥

tasyāsan sarvato yānair

yūthānāṁ patayo ’surāḥ

namuciḥ śambaro bāṇo

vipracittir ayomukhaḥ

dvimūrdhā kālanābho ’tha

prahetir hetir ilvalaḥ

śakunir bhūtasantāpo

vajradaṁṣṭro virocanaḥ

hayagrīvaḥ śaṅkuśirāḥ

kapilo meghadundubhiḥ

tārakaś cakradṛk śumbho

niśumbho jambha utkalaḥ

ariṣṭo ’riṣṭanemiś ca

mayaś ca tripurādhipaḥ

anye pauloma-kāleyā

nivātakavacādayaḥ

alabdha-bhāgāḥ somasya

kevalaṁ kleśa-bhāginaḥ

sarva ete raṇa-mukhe

bahuśo nirjitāmarāḥ

siṁha-nādān vimuñcantaḥ

śaṅkhān dadhmur mahā-ravān

dṛṣṭvā sapatnān utsiktān

balabhit kupito bhṛśam

Translation

Surrounding Mahārāja Bali on all sides were the commanders and captains of the demons, sitting on their respective chariots. Among them were the following demons: Namuci, Śambara, Bāṇa, Vipracitti, Ayomukha, Dvimūrdhā, Kālanābha, Praheti, Heti, Ilvala, Śakuni, Bhūtasantāpa, Vajradaṁṣṭra, Virocana, Hayagrīva, Śaṅkuśirā, Kapila, Meghadundubhi, Tāraka, Cakradṛk, Śumbha, Niśumbha, Jambha, Utkala, Ariṣṭa, Ariṣṭanemi, Tripurādhipa, Maya, the sons of Puloma, the Kāleyas and Nivātakavaca. All of these demons had been deprived of their share of the nectar and had shared merely in the labor of churning the ocean. Now, they fought against the demigods, and to encourage their armies, they made a tumultuous sound like the roaring of lions and blew loudly on conchshells. Balabhit, Lord Indra, upon seeing this situation of his ferocious rivals, became extremely angry.

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.

The Demons Rally Their Armies

  1. 1

    The demons’ commanders and captains surrounded Mahārāja Bali on their respective chariots.

  2. 2

    They had shared in the labor of churning the ocean but had been deprived of a share of the nectar. Now they fought against the demigods.

  3. 3

    To encourage their armies, they roared like lions and loudly blew conchshells. Seeing his ferocious rivals, Lord Indra became extremely angry.

How it feels

Danger and ambition → Divine rescue and surprise. Cooperation, rivalry and revelation alternate rapidly.

Chapters 5–12 of Canto 8: Churning the ocean, poison and nectar. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 10: The Battle Between the Demigods and the Demons

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Bali Mahārāja, the son of Virocana, became the commander in chief of the demons. In the beginning of the battle, the demigods prepared to defeat the demons.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.10
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tasyaof him (Mahārāja Bali)
  2. āsansituated
  3. sarvataḥall around
  4. yānaiḥby different vehicles
  5. yūthānāmof the soldiers
  6. patayaḥthe commanders
  7. asurāḥdemons
  8. namuciḥNamuci
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 8.10

    In this verse: “maya”

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 stands out to you about the sounds and emotions as the armies prepare to fight?

Practice

Identify the demons’ unshared reward, their way of encouraging their armies, and Indra’s response.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

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

Live this todayThe Demons Rally Their ArmiesThis 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 8.10.19-24? Get an answer from the verses themselves.