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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 15: Bali Mahārāja Conquers the Heavenly Planets
8.14.118.15.3

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 8.15.1-2

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:King Parīkṣitsince 8.15.1-2inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीराजोवाच

बले: पदत्रयं भूमे: कस्माद्धरिरयाचत ।

भूतेश्वर: कृपणवल्ल‍ब्धार्थोऽपि बबन्ध तम् ॥ १ ॥

एतद् वेदितुमिच्छामो महत्कौतूहलं हि न: ।

याच्ञेश्वरस्य पूर्णस्य बन्धनं चाप्यनागस: ॥ २ ॥

śrī-rājovāca

baleḥ pada-trayaṁ bhūmeḥ

kasmād dharir ayācata

bhūteśvaraḥ kṛpaṇa-val

labdhārtho ’pi babandha tam

etad veditum icchāmo

mahat kautūhalaṁ hi naḥ

yācñeśvarasya pūrṇasya

bandhanaṁ cāpy anāgasaḥ

Translation

Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the proprietor of everything. Why did He beg three paces of land from Bali Mahārāja like a poor man, and when He got the gift for which He had begged, why did He nonetheless arrest Bali Mahārāja? I am very much anxious to know the mystery of these contradictions.

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.

Ask Eagerly About the Lord’s Actions

  1. 1

    Mahārāja Parīkṣit recognizes that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the proprietor of everything.

  2. 2

    He asks why the Lord begged three paces of land from Bali Mahārāja like a poor man.

  3. 3

    He also asks why the Lord arrested Bali Mahārāja after receiving his gift. These apparent contradictions awaken his eagerness to understand.

How it feels

Loss and hope → Revelation. A shift in fortune sets up a spiritual test.

Chapters 15–18 of Canto 8: Bali, Aditi and Vāmana's appearance. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 15: Bali Mahārāja Conquers the Heavenly Planets

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Mahārāja Parīkṣit wanted to understand how Lord Vāmanadeva, on the plea of taking three paces of land from Bali Mahārāja, took everything away from him and arrested him. Śukadeva Gosvāmī responded to this inquiry with the following explanation.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.15
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-rājā uvācathe King said
  2. baleḥof Bali Mahārāja
  3. pada-trayamthree steps
  4. bhūmeḥof land
  5. kasmātwhy
  6. hariḥthe Supreme Personality of Godhead (in the form of Vāmana)
  7. ayācatabegged
  8. bhūta-īśvaraḥthe proprietor of all the universe
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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 8.15

    In this verse: “inquired”, “understand”

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 can you turn something you do not understand about the Lord’s actions into a sincere question?

Practice

Write down one question you would like to understand from this account, following Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s example of eager inquiry.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayAsk Eagerly About the Lord’s ActionsThis 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 8.15.1-2? Get an answer from the verses themselves.