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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 24: Matsya, the Lord’s Fish Incarnation
8.24.318.24.33

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.24.32

Nirodha· Winding up
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 8.24.32inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीभगवानुवाच

सप्तमे ह्यद्यतनादूर्ध्वमहन्येतदरिंदम ।

निमङ्‌क्ष्यत्यप्ययाम्भोधौ त्रैलोक्यं भूर्भुवादिकम् ॥ ३२ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

saptame hy adyatanād ūrdhvam

ahany etad arindama

nimaṅkṣyaty apyayāmbhodhau

trailokyaṁ bhūr-bhuvādikam

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O King, who can subdue your enemies, on the seventh day from today the three worlds — Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ and Svaḥ — will all merge into the water of inundation.

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.

Hear the Lord’s Warning

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead tells the King what will happen on the seventh day from that day.

  2. 2

    The three worlds—Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ and Svaḥ—will all merge into the water of inundation.

  3. 3

    The Lord addresses the King as one who can subdue his enemies, yet announces a devastation encompassing all three worlds.

How it feels

Catastrophe → Trust and protection. Divine guardianship amid destruction closes the canto.

Chapter 24 of Canto 8: Matsya preserves life and knowledge. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 24: Matsya, the Lord’s Fish Incarnation

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Although the King did not know that the small fish was the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, as a king he gave shelter to the fish and kept Him in a water jug. The fish, being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, wanted to show His potency to King Satyavrata, and thus He immediately expanded His body in such a way that He could no longer be kept in the jug of water.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.24
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-bhagavān uvācathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said
  2. saptameon the seventh
  3. hiindeed
  4. adyatanātfrom today
  5. ūrdhvamforward
  6. ahanion the day
  7. etatthis creation
  8. arimdamaO King who can subdue your enemies
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Nirodha · Returning home, back to Godhead

    What happens when everything here comes to an end? · Subject 8 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 8.24

    In this verse: “king”

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 attentively do I receive the Supreme Lord’s words?

Practice

Read the Lord’s announcement slowly, noticing both its timing and its extent.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayHear the Lord’s WarningThis 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 8.24.32? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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