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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 22: Bali Mahārāja Surrenders His Life
8.22.38.22.5

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.22.4

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Bali Mahārājasince 8.22.2inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

पुंसां श्लाघ्यतमं मन्ये दण्डमर्हत्तमार्पितम् ।

यं न माता पिता भ्राता सुहृदश्चादिशन्ति हि ॥ ४ ॥

puṁsāṁ ślāghyatamaṁ manye

daṇḍam arhattamārpitam

yaṁ na mātā pitā bhrātā

suhṛdaś cādiśanti hi

Translation

Although a father, mother, brother or friend may sometimes punish one as a well-wisher, they never punish their subordinate like this. But because You are the most worshipable Lord, I regard the punishment You have given me as most exalted.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Receive the Lord’s Correction as Mercy

  1. 1

    A devotee accepts punishment from the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the greatest mercy.

  2. 2

    The devotee tolerates adverse conditions arising from past deeds while continuing devotional service with mind, words and body.

  3. 3

    The Lord’s correction brings His devotee to the right path. This favor cannot be compared even to the greatest benefit given by family or friends.

Key points from the purport
  • Punishment meted out by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is accepted by the devotee as the greatest mercy.
  • Therefore the punishment awarded by the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be compared to even the greatest benefit awarded by one’s material father, mother, brother or friend.

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 8.22.4 quotesSB 10.14.8

“One who seeks Your compassion and thus tolerates all kinds of adverse conditions due to the karma of his past deeds, who engages always in Your devotional service with his mind, words and body, and who always offers obeisances to You is certainly a bona fide candidate for liberation.”

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

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 22: Bali Mahārāja Surrenders His Life

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Bali Mahārāja agreed with great pleasure to accept the punishment awarded him by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bali Mahārāja’s dynasty there were many asuras who because of their enmity toward Viṣṇu had achieved a destination more exalted than that of many mystic yogīs.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.22
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. puṁsāmof men
  2. ślāghya-tamamthe most exalted
  3. manyeI consider
  4. daṇḍampunishment
  5. arhattama-arpitamgiven by You, the supreme worshipable Lord
  6. yamwhich
  7. naneither
  8. mātāmother
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 8.22

    In this verse: “worshipable”, “devotional service”, “devotee”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 8.22

    In this verse: “mother”, “father”

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 8.22

    In this verse: “friend”, “friends”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How might I remain engaged in devotional service while facing an adverse condition?

Practice

Offer one respectful prayer to the Lord today, asking to serve Him faithfully through difficulty.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 10.14.8

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 8.22's connections

Live this todayReceive the Lord’s Correction as MercyThis 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 8.22.4? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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