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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.
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Canto 8 · Chapter 11: King Indra Annihilates the Demons
8.11.338.11.35

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.11.34

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

येन मे पूर्वमद्रीणां पक्षच्छेद: प्रजात्यये ।

कृतो निविशतां भारै: पतत्‍त्रै: पततां भुवि ॥ ३४ ॥

yena me pūrvam adrīṇāṁ

pakṣa-cchedaḥ prajātyaye

kṛto niviśatāṁ bhāraiḥ

patattraiḥ patatāṁ bhuvi

Translation

Indra thought: Formerly, when many mountains flying in the sky with wings would fall to the ground and kill people, I cut their wings with this same thunderbolt.

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.

Indra Recalls the Thunderbolt’s Past Power

  1. 1

    Indra remembered a time when mountains flew through the sky with wings.

  2. 2

    These mountains would fall to the ground and kill people.

  3. 3

    Indra had cut their wings with the same thunderbolt. He recalled how effectively it had acted before.

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:

He then thought of foam, which is neither moist nor dry. Using a weapon of foam, he was able to kill Namuci.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.11
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yenaby the same thunderbolt
  2. meby me
  3. pūrvamformerly
  4. adrīṇāmof the mountains
  5. pakṣa-cchedaḥthe cutting of the wings
  6. prajā-atyayewhen there was killing of the people in general
  7. kṛtaḥwas done
  8. niviśatāmof those mountains which entered
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

When facing difficulty, which past success do I keep recalling?

Practice

Write down one past success and distinguish what happened then from what you know about today’s situation.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayIndra Recalls the Thunderbolt’s Past PowerThis 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 8.11.34? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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