1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 8 · Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations · 24 chapters

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.24.61

Who is speaking and story frame

प्रलयपयसि धातु: सुप्तशक्तेर्मुखेभ्य:

श्रुतिगणमपनीतं प्रत्युपादत्त हत्वा ।

दितिजमकथयद् यो ब्रह्म सत्यव्रतानां

तमहमखिलहेतुं जिह्ममीनं नतोऽस्मि ॥ ६१ ॥

स वै मन: कृष्णपदारविन्दयो-

र्वचांसि वैकुण्ठगुणानुवर्णने ।

करौ हरेर्मन्दिरमार्जनादिषु

श्रुतिं चकाराच्युतसत्कथोदये ॥

pralaya-payasi dhātuḥ supta-śakter mukhebhyaḥ

śruti-gaṇam apanītaṁ pratyupādatta hatvā

ditijam akathayad yo brahma satyavratānāṁ

tam aham akhila-hetuṁ jihma-mīnaṁ nato ’smi

Translation

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who pretended to be a gigantic fish, who restored the Vedic literature to Lord Brahmā when Lord Brahmā awakened from sleep, and who explained the essence of Vedic literature to King Satyavrata and the great saintly persons.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Know the Vedas Through the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    Lord Viṣṇu recovered the Vedic literatures from Hayagrīva and restored them to Lord Brahmā. By His causeless mercy, He also instructed Satyavrata and the great saintly persons.

  2. 2

    Whatever the Supreme Lord speaks is accepted as Veda. He is the compiler of all Vedic knowledge and knows its true meaning.

  3. 3

    One should receive Vedic knowledge from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, or from Bhagavad-gītā as it is, rather than from those who misconstrue the Vedas. In this way, one understands that Kṛṣṇa is the purpose of Vedic knowledge.

Key points from the purport
  • The word satyavratānām is significant because it indicates that those on the level of Satyavrata can take knowledge from the Vedas delivered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, vedānta-kṛd veda-vit: the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the compiler of all Vedic knowledge, and He knows the purport of the Vedas.
  • Therefore, anyone who takes knowledge from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, or from Bhagavad-gītā as it is, knows the purpose of the Vedas (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ).

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

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:

King Satyavrata offered respectful obeisances to the Supreme Lord and continued to meditate upon Him. In due course of time, annihilation took place, and the King saw a boat coming near.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.24
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. pralaya-payasiin the water of inundation
  2. dhātuḥfrom Lord Brahmā
  3. supta-śakteḥwho was inert because of sleeping
  4. mukhebhyaḥfrom the mouths
  5. śruti-gaṇamVedic records
  6. apanītamstolen
  7. pratyupādattagave back to him
  8. hatvāby killing
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

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 8.24

    In this verse: “mercy”, “causeless”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 8.24

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “understands”

  • 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

Am I seeking to understand Kṛṣṇa through His teachings rather than imposing my own meaning on them?

Practice

Offer respectful obeisances to the Supreme Lord and read one passage of Bhagavad-gītā with the intention of understanding Him.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayKnow the Vedas Through the Supreme LordThis 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 8.24.61? Get an answer from the verses themselves.