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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 5: The Demigods Appeal to the Lord for Protection
8.5.108.5.13

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 8.5.11-12

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:King Parīkṣitsince 8.5.11-12inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीराजोवाच

यथा भगवता ब्रह्मन्मथित: क्षीरसागर: ।

यदर्थं वा यतश्चाद्रिं दधाराम्बुचरात्मना ॥ ११ ॥

यथामृतं सुरै: प्राप्तं किं चान्यदभवत् तत: ।

एतद् भगवत: कर्म वदस्व परमाद्भ‍ुतम् ॥ १२ ॥

śrī-rājovāca

yathā bhagavatā brahman

mathitaḥ kṣīra-sāgaraḥ

yad-arthaṁ vā yataś cādriṁ

dadhārāmbucarātmanā

yathāmṛtaṁ suraiḥ prāptaṁ

kiṁ cānyad abhavat tataḥ

etad bhagavataḥ karma

vadasva paramādbhutam

Translation

King Parīkṣit inquired: O great brāhmaṇa, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, why and how did Lord Viṣṇu churn the Ocean of Milk? For what reason did He stay in the water as a tortoise and hold up Mandara Mountain? How did the demigods obtain the nectar, and what other things were produced from the churning of the ocean? Kindly describe all these wonderful activities of the Lord.

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.

Inquire About the Lord’s Wonderful Activities

  1. 1

    King Parīkṣit asks Śukadeva Gosvāmī why and how Lord Viṣṇu churned the Ocean of Milk.

  2. 2

    He wants to understand why the Lord stayed in the water as a tortoise and held up Mandara Mountain.

  3. 3

    He also asks how the demigods obtained nectar and what else appeared from the ocean. His request centers on hearing the Lord’s wonderful activities.

How it feels

Danger and ambition → Divine rescue and surprise. Cooperation, rivalry and revelation alternate rapidly.

Chapters 5–12 of Canto 8: Churning the ocean, poison and nectar. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 5: The Demigods Appeal to the Lord for Protection

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

This Ajita, taking the shape of a tortoise and holding the mountain known as Mandara on His back, churned the ocean and produced nectar for the demigods. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was very eager to hear about the churning of the ocean, and therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī began to explain to him how the demigods, having been cursed by Durvāsā Muni, were defeated in battle by the asuras.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.5
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-rājā uvācaKing Parīkṣit inquired
  2. yathāas
  3. bhagavatāby the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  4. brahmanO learned brāhmaṇa
  5. mathitaḥchurned
  6. kṣīra-sāgaraḥthe Ocean of Milk
  7. yat-arthamwhat was the purpose
  8. vāeither
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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 8.5

    In this verse: “inquired”, “understand”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 8.5

    In this verse: “kindly”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 8.5

    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

What would you like to understand more clearly about the Lord’s activities described here?

Practice

Read the translation again and write down one question you would like to explore.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayInquire About the Lord’s Wonderful ActivitiesThis 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 8.5.11-12? Get an answer from the verses themselves.