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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 23: The Demigods Regain the Heavenly Planets
8.22.368.23.2

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.23.1

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 8.23.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीशुक उवाच

इत्युक्तवन्तं पुरुषं पुरातनं

महानुभावोऽखिलसाधुसम्मत: ।

बद्धाञ्जलिर्बाष्पकलाकुलेक्षणो

भक्त्युत्कलो गद्गदया गिराब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca

ity uktavantaṁ puruṣaṁ purātanaṁ

mahānubhāvo ’khila-sādhu-sammataḥ

baddhāñjalir bāṣpa-kalākulekṣaṇo

bhakty-utkalo gadgadayā girābravīt

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When the supreme, ancient, eternal Personality of Godhead had thus spoken to Bali Mahārāja, who is universally accepted as a pure devotee of the Lord and therefore a great soul, Bali Mahārāja, his eyes filled with tears, his hands folded and his voice faltering in devotional ecstasy, responded as follows.

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.

A Pure Devotee Responds With Love

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is ancient and eternal.

  2. 2

    Bali Mahārāja is universally accepted as a pure devotee of the Lord and therefore a great soul.

  3. 3

    He responded with folded hands, tear-filled eyes and a voice faltering in devotional ecstasy.

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 23: The Demigods Regain the Heavenly Planets

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The great soul Bali Mahārāja experienced that the highest gain in life is to attain devotional service under the shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet in full surrender. Being fixed in this conclusion, his heart full of ecstatic devotion and his eyes full of tears, he offered obeisances to the Personality of Godhead and then, with his associates, entered the planet known as Sutala.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.23
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-śukaḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
  2. itithus
  3. uktavantamupon the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  4. puruṣamunto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  5. purātanamthe oldest of everyone
  6. mahā-anubhāvaḥBali Mahārāja, who was a great and exalted soul
  7. akhila-sādhu-sammataḥas approved by all saintly persons
  8. baddha-añjaliḥwith folded hands
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 8.23

    In this verse: “devotional”, “devotee”

  • Prema · Transcendental love

    The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 8.23

    In this verse: “ecstasy”

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

What does Bali Mahārāja’s response teach me about devotion to the Lord?

Practice

Fold your hands and offer a short, respectful prayer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayA Pure Devotee Responds With LoveThis 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 8.23.1? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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