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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.
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Canto 8 · Chapter 24: Matsya, the Lord’s Fish Incarnation
8.24.568.24.58

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.24.57

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 8.24.54inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

अतीतप्रलयापाय उत्थिताय स वेधसे ।

हत्वासुरं हयग्रीवं वेदान् प्रत्याहरद्धरि: ॥ ५७ ॥

atīta-pralayāpāya

utthitāya sa vedhase

hatvāsuraṁ hayagrīvaṁ

vedān pratyāharad dhariḥ

Translation

At the end of the last inundation [during the period of Svāyambhuva Manu] the Supreme Personality of Godhead killed the demon named Hayagrīva and delivered all the Vedic literatures to Lord Brahmā when Lord Brahmā awakened from sleeping.

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 Lord Restores the Vedic Literatures

  1. 1

    At the end of the last inundation, during the period of Svāyambhuva Manu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead acted to recover the Vedic literatures.

  2. 2

    The Lord killed the demon Hayagrīva.

  3. 3

    When Lord Brahmā awakened from sleep, the Supreme Lord delivered all the Vedic literatures to him.

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:

Once, at the end of the previous kalpa, a demon named Hayagrīva wanted to take the Vedic knowledge away from Lord Brahmā at the time of annihilation. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead took the incarnation of a fish at the beginning of the period of Svāyambhuva Manu and saved the Vedas.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.24
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. atītapassed
  2. pralaya-apāyeat the end of the inundation
  3. utthitāyato bring him to his senses after sleeping
  4. saḥthe Supreme Lord
  5. vedhaseunto Lord Brahmā
  6. hatvāafter killing
  7. asuramthe demon
  8. hayagrīvamby the name Hayagrīva
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

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 the Lord’s restoration of the Vedic literatures deepen my appreciation for them?

Practice

Before reading today, offer a brief prayer of gratitude to the Lord for restoring the Vedic literatures.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Restores the Vedic LiteraturesThis 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.

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