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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 18: Lord Vāmanadeva, the Dwarf Incarnation
8.17.288.18.2

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.18.1

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 8.18.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीशुक उवाच

इत्थं विरिञ्चस्तुतकर्मवीर्य:

प्रादुर्बभूवामृतभूरदित्याम् ।

चतुर्भुज: शङ्खगदाब्जचक्र:

पिशङ्गवासा नलिनायतेक्षण: ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca

itthaṁ viriñca-stuta-karma-vīryaḥ

prādurbabhūvāmṛta-bhūr adityām

catur-bhujaḥ śaṅkha-gadābja-cakraḥ

piśaṅga-vāsā nalināyatekṣaṇaḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After Lord Brahmā had thus spoken, glorifying the Supreme Lord’s activities and prowess, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never subject to death like an ordinary living being, appeared from the womb of Aditi. His four hands were decorated with a conchshell, club, lotus and disc, He was dressed in yellow garments, and His eyes appeared like the petals of a blooming lotus.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord’s Appearance Is Transcendental

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared from Aditi’s womb with four hands, holding a conchshell, club, lotus and disc.

  2. 2

    Although the Lord may appear like an ordinary child, He is never subject to birth, death or old age. His appearance and activities are transcendental, not material.

  3. 3

    One who truly understands the Lord’s appearance, disappearance and activities is liberated. After leaving the body, that person goes to the spiritual world rather than accepting another material body.

Key points from the purport
  • One must be very intelligent to understand the appearance and activities of the Supreme Lord in His incarnations.
  • One should try to understand that the Lord’s appearance and disappearance and His activities are all divyam, or transcendental.
  • The Lord has nothing to do with material activities.

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

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 8.18.1 quotesBG 4.9

This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9): janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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 18: Lord Vāmanadeva, the Dwarf Incarnation

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Lord Vāmanadeva appeared in this world from the womb of Aditi completely equipped with conchshell, disc, club and lotus. His bodily hue was blackish, and He was dressed in yellow garments.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.18
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-śukaḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
  2. itthamin this way
  3. viriñca-stuta-karma-vīryaḥthe Personality of Godhead, whose activities and prowess are always praised by Lord Brahmā
  4. prādurbabhūvabecame manifested
  5. amṛta-bhūḥwhose appearance is always deathless
  6. adityāmfrom the womb of Aditi
  7. catuḥ-bhujaḥhaving four arms
  8. śaṅkha-gadā-abja-cakraḥdecorated with conchshell, club, lotus and disc
  9. piśaṅga-vāsāḥdressed in yellow garments
  10. nalina-āyata-īkṣaṇaḥhaving blooming eyes like the petals of a lotus
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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 8.18

    In this verse: “glorifying”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 8.18

    In this verse: “death”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 8.18

    In this verse: “material”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does this teaching change the way I understand the Lord’s appearance as a child?

Practice

Reread the description of the Lord’s appearance and spend one minute remembering that His form and activities are transcendental.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord’s Appearance Is TranscendentalThis 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 8.18.1? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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