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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.14.2

Who is speaking and story frame

श्रीऋषिरुवाच

मनवो मनुपुत्राश्च मुनयश्च महीपते ।

इन्द्रा: सुरगणाश्चैव सर्वे पुरुषशासना: ॥ २ ॥

śrī-ṛṣir uvāca

manavo manu-putrāś ca

munayaś ca mahī-pate

indrāḥ sura-gaṇāś caiva

sarve puruṣa-śāsanāḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The Manus, the sons of Manu, the great sages, the Indras and all the demigods, O King, are appointed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His various incarnations such as Yajña.

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.

The Supreme Lord Appoints Universal Leaders

  1. 1

    The Manus and the sons of Manu are appointed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  2. 2

    The great sages, the Indras and all the demigods also receive their appointments from Him.

  3. 3

    The Supreme Lord makes these appointments through His various incarnations, such as Yajña.

How it feels

Uncertainty → Cosmic order. The narrative resets the frame to cyclical cosmic governance.

Chapters 13–14 of Canto 8: Manus and universal management. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 14: The System of Universal Management

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

All the Manus, as well as their sons, the sages, the demigods and the Indras, act under the orders of various incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At the end of every catur-yuga, consisting of Satya-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, Tretā-yuga and Kali-yuga, the sages, acting under the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, distribute the Vedic knowledge and thus reinstate eternal religious principles.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.14
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-ṛṣiḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
  2. manavaḥall the Manus
  3. manu-putrāḥall the sons of Manu
  4. caand
  5. munayaḥall the great sages
  6. caand
  7. mahī-pateO King
  8. indrāḥall the Indras
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 8.14

    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

How does this verse change my understanding of the authority of the demigods?

Practice

Reread the verse and name the groups whose appointments come from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Live this todayThe Supreme Lord Appoints Universal LeadersThis 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 8.14.2? Get an answer from the verses themselves.