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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 4: Gajendra Returns to the Spiritual World
8.4.108.4.13

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 8.4.11-12

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 8.4.11-12inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीशुक उवाच

एवं शप्‍त्वा गतोऽगस्त्यो भगवान् नृप सानुग: ।

इन्द्रद्युम्नोऽपि राजर्षिर्दिष्टं तदुपधारयन् ॥ ११ ॥

आपन्न: कौञ्जरीं योनिमात्मस्मृतिविनाशिनीम् ।

हर्यर्चनानुभावेन यद्गजत्वेऽप्यनुस्मृति: ॥ १२ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca

evaṁ śaptvā gato ’gastyo

bhagavān nṛpa sānugaḥ

indradyumno ’pi rājarṣir

diṣṭaṁ tad upadhārayan

āpannaḥ kauñjarīṁ yonim

ātma-smṛti-vināśinīm

hary-arcanānubhāvena

yad-gajatve ’py anusmṛtiḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, after Agastya Muni had thus cursed King Indradyumna, the Muni left that place along with his disciples. Since the King was a devotee, he accepted Agastya Muni’s curse as welcome because it was the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, although in his next life he got the body of an elephant, because of devotional service he remembered how to worship and offer prayers to the Lord.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Continue Devotional Service Through Reverses

  1. 1

    Although the King was not at fault, he accepted the curse as the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He considered the reversal a result of his past misdeeds and welcomed it.

  2. 2

    Because of devotional service, he remembered how to worship and pray to the Lord even in an elephant’s body. The Lord arranges for a devotee to receive only a token of past sinful reactions.

  3. 3

    A devotee should continue a regular program of devotional service, depending on the Lord through unfortunate circumstances. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, takes care of the devotee and enables a return to the spiritual world.

Key points from the purport
  • This is the unique position of a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • Although the King was cursed, he welcomed the curse because a devotee is always aware that nothing can happen without the desire of the Supreme Lord.
  • One should therefore adhere to devotional service, and the Lord Himself will very soon see to one’s promotion to the spiritual world.

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 8.4.11-12 quotesSB 10.14.8

Tat te ’nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇaḥ. This is a practical example of how a devotee thinks.

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

Helplessness → Surrender and rescue. A mighty animal finally realizes the limits of strength.

Chapters 1–4 of Canto 8: Gajendra's struggle and prayers. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 4: Gajendra Returns to the Spiritual World

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Agastya Ṛṣi, along with many disciples, once approached King Indradyumna’s āśrama, but because the King was meditating on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he could not receive Agastya Ṛṣi properly. Thus the ṛṣi became very angry and cursed the King to become a dull elephant.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.4
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-śukaḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
  2. evamthus
  3. śaptvāafter cursing
  4. gataḥleft that place
  5. agastyaḥAgastya Muni
  6. bhagavānso powerful
  7. nṛpaO King
  8. sa-anugaḥwith his associates
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 8.4

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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 8.4

    In this verse: “king”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 8.4

    In this verse: “sinful”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

When difficulties arise, how can I continue devotional service while depending on Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Keep one small part of your devotional routine today, even if circumstances are difficult, and offer a prayer for dependence on Kṛṣṇa.

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 8.4's connections

Live this todayContinue Devotional Service Through ReversesThis 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 8.4.11-12? Get an answer from the verses themselves.