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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 21: Bali Mahārāja Arrested by the Lord
8.21.158.21.18

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 8.21.16-17

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 8.21.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

नन्द: सुनन्दोऽथ जयो विजय: प्रबलो बल: ।

कुमुद: कुमुदाक्षश्च विष्वक्सेन: पतत्‍त्रिराट् ॥ १६ ॥

जयन्त: श्रुतदेवश्च पुष्पदन्तोऽथ सात्वत: ।

सर्वे नागायुतप्राणाश्चमूं ते जघ्नुरासुरीम् ॥ १७ ॥

nandaḥ sunando ’tha jayo

vijayaḥ prabalo balaḥ

kumudaḥ kumudākṣaś ca

viṣvaksenaḥ patattrirāṭ

jayantaḥ śrutadevaś ca

puṣpadanto ’tha sātvataḥ

sarve nāgāyuta-prāṇāś

camūṁ te jaghnur āsurīm

Translation

Nanda, Sunanda, Jaya, Vijaya, Prabala, Bala, Kumuda, Kumudākṣa, Viṣvaksena, Patattrirāṭ [Garuḍa], Jayanta, Śrutadeva, Puṣpadanta and Sātvata were all associates of Lord Viṣṇu. They were as powerful as ten thousand elephants, and now they began killing the soldiers of the demons.

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 Strength of Lord Viṣṇu's Associates

  1. 1

    Nanda, Sunanda, Jaya and Vijaya are among the associates of Lord Viṣṇu named here.

  2. 2

    The Lord's associates were as powerful as ten thousand elephants.

  3. 3

    These powerful associates began killing the soldiers of the demons.

How it feels

Public loss and humiliation → Total surrender. An apparent external defeat conceals a devotional triumph.

Chapters 19–23 of Canto 8: Vāmana tests Bali; Bali offers everything. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 21: Bali Mahārāja Arrested by the Lord

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

When Bali Mahārāja was deprived of all his possessions, the demons were very angry. Although Bali Mahārāja warned them not to do so, they took up weapons against Lord Viṣṇu.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.21
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nandaḥ sunandaḥthe associates of Lord Viṣṇu such as Nanda and Sunanda
  2. athain this way
  3. jayaḥ vijayaḥ prabalaḥ balaḥ kumudaḥ kumudākṣaḥ ca viṣvaksenaḥas well as Jaya, Vijaya, Prabala, Bala, Kumada, Kumudākṣa and Viṣvaksena
  4. patattri-rāṭGaruḍa, the king of the birds
  5. jayantaḥ śrutadevaḥ ca puṣpadantaḥ atha sātvataḥJayanta, Śrutadeva, Puṣpadanta and Sātvata
  6. sarveall of them
  7. nāga-ayuta-prāṇāḥas powerful as ten thousand elephants
  8. camūmthe soldiers of the demons
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

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 8.21

    In this verse: “nanda”

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

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does this description deepen my appreciation of Lord Viṣṇu's associates?

Practice

Reread the names of the Lord's associates and remember one name from the list today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Strength of Lord Viṣṇu's AssociatesThis 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 8.21.16-17? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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