1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 8 · Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations · 24 chapters

123456789101112131415161718192021222324

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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
8.18.168.18.18

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.18.17

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

तस्मा इत्युपनीताय यक्षराट् पात्रिकामदात् ।

भिक्षां भगवती साक्षादुमादादम्बिका सती ॥ १७ ॥

tasmā ity upanītāya

yakṣa-rāṭ pātrikām adāt

bhikṣāṁ bhagavatī sākṣād

umādād ambikā satī

Translation

When Vāmanadeva had thus been given the sacred thread, Kuvera, King of the Yakṣas, gave Him a pot for begging alms, and mother Bhagavatī, the wife of Lord Śiva and most chaste mother of the entire universe, gave Him His first alms.

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 Lord Receives His First Alms

  1. 1

    Vāmanadeva had received the sacred thread before these gifts were offered.

  2. 2

    Kuvera, King of the Yakṣas, gave Him a pot for begging alms.

  3. 3

    Mother Bhagavatī, Lord Śiva’s wife and the most chaste mother of the entire universe, gave Him His first alms.

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:

At the time of Lord Vāmanadeva’s sacred thread ceremony, He was honored by the sun-god, Bṛhaspati, the goddess presiding over the planet earth, the deity of the heavenly planets, His mother, Lord Brahmā, Kuvera, the seven ṛṣis and others. Lord Vāmanadeva then visited the sacrificial arena on the northern side of the Narmadā River, at the field known as Bhṛgukaccha, where brāhmaṇas of the Bhṛgu dynasty were performing yajñas.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.18
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tasmaiunto Him (Lord Vāmanadeva)
  2. itiin this way
  3. upanītāyawho had undergone His sacred thread ceremony
  4. yakṣa-rāṭKuvera, the treasurer of heaven and King of the Yakṣas
  5. pātrikāma pot for begging alms
  6. adātdelivered
  7. bhikṣāmalms
  8. bhagavatīmother Bhavānī, the wife of Lord Śiva
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 8.18

    In this verse: “king”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 8.18

    In this verse: “mother”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What can I learn from the readiness of Kuvera and mother Bhagavatī to serve the Lord?

Practice

Set aside a few minutes today for one deliberate act of service to the Lord.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Receives His First AlmsThis 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 8.18.17? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories