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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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Canto 8 · Chapter 11: King Indra Annihilates the Demons
8.11.288.11.30

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.11.29

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

नमुचिस्तद्वधं द‍ृष्ट्वा शोकामर्षरुषान्वित: ।

जिघांसुरिन्द्रं नृपते चकार परमोद्यमम् ॥ २९ ॥

namucis tad-vadhaṁ dṛṣṭvā

śokāmarṣa-ruṣānvitaḥ

jighāṁsur indraṁ nṛpate

cakāra paramodyamam

Translation

O King, when Namuci, another demon, saw the killing of both Bala and Pāka, he was full of grief and lamentation. Thus he angrily made a great attempt to kill Indra.

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.

Namuci’s Grief Turns Into Angry Action

  1. 1

    Namuci saw that Bala and Pāka had been killed.

  2. 2

    He became full of grief and lamentation, and he was very angry.

  3. 3

    In this state, he made a great attempt to kill Indra.

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:

Indra, King of heaven, severed the heads of Bala and Pāka and released the weapon known as kuliśa, the thunderbolt, against Namuci’s shoulder. The thunderbolt, however, returned unsuccessful, and thus Indra became morose.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.11
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. namuciḥthe demon Namuci
  2. tatof those two demons
  3. vadhamthe massacre
  4. dṛṣṭvāafter seeing
  5. śoka-amarṣalamentation and grief
  6. ruṣā-anvitaḥbeing very angry at this
  7. jighāṁsuḥwanted to kill
  8. indramKing Indra
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 8.11

    In this verse: “king”

  • Viraha · Longing in separation

    Love and remembrance experienced in apparent absence. · Theme in SB 8.11

    In this verse: “lamentation”

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

When you feel grief, do you notice anger arising alongside it?

Practice

If something upsets you today, pause to name your feelings before acting.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayNamuci’s Grief Turns Into Angry ActionThis 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 8.11.29? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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