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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

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
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 17: The Supreme Lord Agrees to Become Aditi’s Son

8.17.6 8.17.8

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.17.7

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 8.17.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

प्रीत्या शनैर्गद्गदया गिरा हरिं

तुष्टाव सा देव्यदिति: कुरूद्वह ।

उद्वीक्षती सा पिबतीव चक्षुषा

रमापतिं यज्ञपतिं जगत्पतिम् ॥ ७ ॥

prītyā śanair gadgadayā girā hariṁ

tuṣṭāva sā devy aditiḥ kurūdvaha

udvīkṣatī sā pibatīva cakṣuṣā

ramā-patiṁ yajña-patiṁ jagat-patim

Translation

O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the demigoddess Aditi then began offering her prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead in a faltering voice and with great love. She appeared as though drinking through her eyes the Supreme Lord, who is the husband of the goddess of fortune, the enjoyer of all sacrificial ceremonies, and the master and Lord of the entire universe.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Offer Prayers With Great Love

1
Aditi offered prayers with great love and a faltering voice. She gazed at the Supreme Lord as though drinking Him through her eyes.
2
She recognized Him as Ramā-pati, the husband of all good fortune, and expected Him to bestow opulences upon her sons.
3
Having performed payo-vrata under Kaśyapa’s direction, she thought of the Lord as Yajña-pati. She was completely satisfied to see the master of the universe before her.

Key points from the purport

After observing the payo-vrata, Aditi was certain that the Lord had appeared before her as Ramā-pati, the husband of all good fortune, just to offer her sons all opulences.
She had performed the yajña of payo-vrata under the direction of her husband, Kaśyapa, and therefore she thought of the Lord as Yajña-pati.
She was completely satisfied to see the master and Lord of the entire universe come before her to fulfill her desire.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

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

Chapter 17: The Supreme Lord Agrees to Become Aditi’s Son

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

As soon as Aditi saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead present before her, she immediately got up, and with great ecstatic love for the Lord she fell to the ground to offer respectful obeisances. Aditi’s throat was choked because of ecstatic feelings, and her entire body trembled with devotion.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 8.17

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

prītyābecause of love
śanaiḥagain and again
gadgadayāfaltering
girāwith a voice
harimunto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
tuṣṭāvapleased
sāshe
devīthe demigoddess

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
Prema · Transcendental love
The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 8.17
In this verse: “love”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I bring more loving attention to my prayers?

Practice

Offer a short, attentive prayer acknowledging the Lord as the master of the entire universe.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayOffer Prayers With Great LoveThis 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 8.17.7? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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