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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.
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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.10.39

Who is speaking and story frame

शिरोभिरुद्धूतकिरीटकुण्डलै:

संरम्भद‍ृग्भि: परिदष्टदच्छदै: ।

महाभुजै: साभरणै: सहायुधै:

सा प्रास्तृता भू: करभोरुभिर्बभौ ॥ ३९ ॥

śirobhir uddhūta-kirīṭa-kuṇḍalaiḥ

saṁrambha-dṛgbhiḥ paridaṣṭa-dacchadaiḥ

mahā-bhujaiḥ sābharaṇaiḥ sahāyudhaiḥ

sā prāstṛtā bhūḥ karabhorubhir babhau

Translation

In the course of the battle, the warfield became strewn with the severed heads of heroes, their eyes still staring and their teeth still pressed against their lips in anger. Helmets and earrings were scattered from these severed heads. Similarly, many arms, decorated with ornaments and clutching various weapons, were strewn here and there, as were many legs and thighs, which resembled the trunks of elephants.

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.

Anger Marks the Fallen Heroes

  1. 1

    The battlefield was strewn with the severed heads of heroes. Their eyes still stared, and their teeth pressed against their lips in anger.

  2. 2

    Helmets and earrings lay scattered from the fallen heads.

  3. 3

    Severed arms still bore ornaments and clutched weapons. Legs and thighs resembling elephant trunks also lay across the battlefield.

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:

In the beginning of the battle, the demigods prepared to defeat the demons. Indra, King of heaven, fought with Bali, and other demigods, like Vāyu, Agni and Varuṇa, fought against other leaders of 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. śirobhiḥby the heads
  2. uddhūtaseparated, scattered from
  3. kirīṭahaving their helmets
  4. kuṇḍalaiḥand earrings
  5. saṁrambha-dṛgbhiḥeyes staring in anger (although the heads were severed from their bodies)
  6. paridaṣṭahaving been bitten by the teeth
  7. dacchadaiḥthe lips
  8. mahā-bhujaiḥwith big arms
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

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 impression does the description of anger on the fallen heroes leave on me?

Practice

Pause over the description of the heroes’ faces and write one observation about anger in this scene.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayAnger Marks the Fallen HeroesThis 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 8.10.39? Get an answer from the verses themselves.