1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

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

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 8 · Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations · 24 chapters

123456789101112131415161718192021222324

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 8 · Chapter 11: King Indra Annihilates the Demons
8.11.208.11.22

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.11.21

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 8.11.10inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

हरीन्दशशतान्याजौ हर्यश्वस्य बल: शरै: ।

तावद्भ‍िरर्दयामास युगपल्ल‍घुहस्तवान् ॥ २१ ॥

harīn daśa-śatāny ājau

haryaśvasya balaḥ śaraiḥ

tāvadbhir ardayām āsa

yugapal laghu-hastavān

Translation

Quickly handling the situation on the battlefield, the demon Bala put all of Indra’s one thousand horses into tribulation by simultaneously piercing them all with an equal number of arrows.

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.

Bala Strikes Indra’s Horses

  1. 1

    Bala handled the situation on the battlefield very quickly.

  2. 2

    He released one thousand arrows, simultaneously piercing all one thousand of Indra’s horses.

  3. 3

    The attack put the horses into tribulation. The verse describes both Bala’s speed and the suffering his arrows caused.

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 11: King Indra Annihilates the Demons

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

When Nārada Muni learned that Jambhāsura had been killed, he informed Jambhāsura’s relatives Namuci, Bala and Pāka, who then went to the battlefield and attacked the demigods. Indra, King of heaven, severed the heads of Bala and Pāka and released the weapon known as kuliśa, the thunderbolt, against Namuci’s shoulder.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.11
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. harīnhorses
  2. daśa-śatāniten times one hundred (one thousand)
  3. ājauon the battlefield
  4. haryaśvasyaof King Indra
  5. balaḥthe demon Bala
  6. śaraiḥwith arrows
  7. tāvadbhiḥwith so many
  8. ardayām āsaput into tribulation
  9. yugapatsimultaneously
  10. laghu-hastavānwith quick handling
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

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 8.11

    In this verse: “suffering”

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 do you notice when you consider the horses’ suffering alongside Bala’s skill?

Practice

Reread the verse once, paying attention to those who suffered from the attack.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayBala Strikes Indra’s HorsesThis 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 8.11.21? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories