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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
8.18.308.18.32

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.18.31

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Bali Mahārājasince 8.18.29inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

अद्याग्नयो मे सुहुता यथाविधि

द्विजात्मज त्वच्चरणावनेजनै: ।

हतांहसो वार्भिरियं च भूरहो

तथा पुनीता तनुभि: पदैस्तव ॥ ३१ ॥

adyāgnayo me suhutā yathā-vidhi

dvijātmaja tvac-caraṇāvanejanaiḥ

hatāṁhaso vārbhir iyaṁ ca bhūr aho

tathā punītā tanubhiḥ padais tava

Translation

O son of a brāhmaṇa, today the fire of sacrifice is ablaze according to the injunction of the śāstra, and I have been freed from all the sinful reactions of my life by the water that has washed Your lotus feet. O my Lord, by the touch of Your small lotus feet the entire surface of the world has been sanctified.

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’s Lotus Feet Sanctify the World

  1. 1

    Bali Mahārāja said that the sacrificial fire was ablaze according to the injunction of the śāstra.

  2. 2

    He declared that the water which washed the Lord’s lotus feet had freed him from all the sinful reactions of his life.

  3. 3

    He praised the Lord’s small lotus feet, whose touch had sanctified the entire surface of the world.

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:

Therefore, after washing the Lord’s feet, Bali Mahārāja immediately accepted the water from the Lord’s feet on his head and felt that he and his predecessors had certainly been glorified. Then Bali Mahārāja inquired of Lord Vāmanadeva’s welfare and requested the Lord to ask him for money, jewels or anything He might desire.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.18
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. adyatoday
  2. agnayaḥthe sacrificial fires
  3. meexecuted by me
  4. su-hutāḥproperly offered oblations
  5. yathā-vidhiin terms of the śāstric injunction
  6. dvija-ātmajaO son of a brāhmaṇa
  7. tvat-caraṇa-avanejanaiḥwhich washed Your lotus feet
  8. hata-aṁhasaḥwho have become cleansed of all sinful reactions
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 8.18

    In this verse: “sinful”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What inspires you about Bali Mahārāja’s praise of the Lord’s small lotus feet?

Practice

Spend one minute reflecting on Bali Mahārāja’s gratitude for the purifying touch of the Lord’s lotus feet.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord’s Lotus Feet Sanctify the WorldThis 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.

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