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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 ›
Canto 8 · Chapter 11: King Indra Annihilates the Demons
8.11.318.11.33

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.11.32

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

न तस्य हि त्वचमपि वज्र ऊर्जितो

बिभेद य: सुरपतिनौजसेरित: ।

तदद्भ‍ुतं परमतिवीर्यवृत्रभित्

तिरस्कृतो नमुचिशिरोधरत्वचा ॥ ३२ ॥

na tasya hi tvacam api vajra ūrjito

bibheda yaḥ sura-patinaujaseritaḥ

tad adbhutaṁ param ativīrya-vṛtra-bhit

tiraskṛto namuci-śirodhara-tvacā

Translation

Although King Indra hurled his thunderbolt at Namuci with great force, it could not even pierce his skin. It is very wonderful that the famed thunderbolt that had pierced the body of Vṛtrāsura could not even slightly injure the skin of Namuci’s neck.

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.

A Powerful Weapon Meets Its Limit

  1. 1

    Indra hurled his thunderbolt at Namuci with great force, but it could not even pierce his skin.

  2. 2

    The same famed thunderbolt had pierced the body of Vṛtrāsura.

  3. 3

    Its inability to injure even the skin of Namuci’s neck was extraordinarily wonderful.

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. nanot
  2. tasyaof him (Namuci)
  3. hiindeed
  4. tvacam apieven the skin
  5. vajraḥthe thunderbolt
  6. ūrjitaḥvery powerful
  7. bibhedacould pierce
  8. yaḥthe weapon which
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”

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

Do I assume that something which worked before must always work?

Practice

Notice one expectation based on past success, and leave room for a different outcome.

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.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 8.11's connections

Live this todayA Powerful Weapon Meets Its LimitThis 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 8.11.32? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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