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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 2: The Elephant Gajendra’s Crisis

8.2.28 8.2.30

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.2.29

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 8.2.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

नियुध्यतोरेवमिभेन्द्रनक्रयो-

र्विकर्षतोरन्तरतो बहिर्मिथ: ।

समा: सहस्रं व्यगमन् महीपते

सप्राणयोश्चित्रममंसतामरा: ॥ २९ ॥

niyudhyator evam ibhendra-nakrayor

vikarṣator antarato bahir mithaḥ

samāḥ sahasraṁ vyagaman mahī-pate

saprāṇayoś citram amaṁsatāmarāḥ

Translation

O King, the elephant and the crocodile fought in this way, pulling one another in and out of the water, for one thousand years. Upon seeing the fight, the demigods were very surprised.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

A Struggle Lasting One Thousand Years

1
The elephant and the crocodile continued fighting for one thousand years.
2
They pulled one another in and out of the water throughout the struggle.
3
The demigods watched this extraordinary fight with great surprise.

How it feels

Helplessness → Surrender and rescue. A mighty animal finally realizes the limits of strength.

Chapters 1–4 of Canto 8: Gajendra's struggle and prayers. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 2: The Elephant Gajendra’s Crisis

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

This fight continued for one thousand years. Neither the elephant nor the crocodile died, but since they were in the water, the elephant gradually became weak whereas the power of the crocodile increased more and more.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 8.2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

niyudhyatoḥfighting
evamin this way
ibha-indraof the elephant
nakrayoḥand the crocodile
vikarṣatoḥpulling
antarataḥin the water
bahiḥoutside the water
mithaḥone another

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 8.2
In this verse: “king”

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What strikes you about the length and persistence of this struggle?

Practice

Read the translation slowly and pause over the words “one thousand years” to consider the struggle’s duration.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayA Struggle Lasting One Thousand YearsThis 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 8.2.29? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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