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

123456789101112131415161718192021222324

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 ›
Canto 8 · Chapter 5: The Demigods Appeal to the Lord for Protection
8.5.418.5.43

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.5.42

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Brahmāsince 8.5.26inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

लोभोऽधरात् प्रीतिरुपर्यभूद् द्युति-

र्नस्त: पशव्य: स्पर्शेन काम: ।

भ्रुवोर्यम: पक्ष्मभवस्तु काल:

प्रसीदतां न: स महाविभूति: ॥ ४२ ॥

lobho ’dharāt prītir upary abhūd dyutir

nastaḥ paśavyaḥ sparśena kāmaḥ

bhruvor yamaḥ pakṣma-bhavas tu kālaḥ

prasīdatāṁ naḥ sa mahā-vibhūtiḥ

Translation

Greed is generated from His lower lip, affection from His upper lip, bodily luster from His nose, animalistic lusty desires from His sense of touch, Yamarāja from His eyebrows, and eternal time from His eyelashes. May that Supreme Lord be pleased with us.

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.

Acknowledge the Supreme Lord’s Great Power

  1. 1

    Greed comes from the Lord’s lower lip, and affection from His upper lip.

  2. 2

    Bodily luster comes from His nose, and animalistic lusty desires from His sense of touch.

  3. 3

    Yamarāja comes from His eyebrows, and eternal time from His eyelashes. The prayer asks the Supreme Lord to be pleased with us.

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:

When the demigods were deprived of their heavenly kingdom, they went to the assembly house of Lord Brahmā and informed Lord Brahmā of what had happened. Then Brahmā, along with all the demigods, went to the shore of the Ocean of Milk and offered prayers to Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.5
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. lobhaḥgreed
  2. adharātfrom the lower lip
  3. prītiḥaffection
  4. uparifrom the upper lip
  5. abhūtbecame possible
  6. dyutiḥbodily luster
  7. nastaḥfrom the nose
  8. paśavyaḥfit for the animals
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 8.5

    In this verse: “luster”

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 does this description of eternal time’s origin invite you to reflect on?

Practice

Take a quiet moment today to acknowledge the Supreme Lord’s power and ask that He be pleased with you.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayAcknowledge the Supreme Lord’s Great PowerThis 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 8.5.42? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories