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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 7: Lord Śiva Saves the Universe by Drinking Poison
8.7.98.7.11

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.7.10

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 8.7.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

सुरासुरेन्द्रैर्भुजवीर्यवेपितं

परिभ्रमन्तं गिरिमङ्ग पृष्ठत: ।

बिभ्रत् तदावर्तनमादिकच्छपो

मेनेऽङ्गकण्डूयनमप्रमेय: ॥ १० ॥

surāsurendrair bhuja-vīrya-vepitaṁ

paribhramantaṁ girim aṅga pṛṣṭhataḥ

bibhrat tad-āvartanam ādi-kacchapo

mene ’ṅga-kaṇḍūyanam aprameyaḥ

Translation

O King, when the demigods and demons, by the strength of their arms, rotated Mandara Mountain on the back of the extraordinary tortoise, the tortoise accepted the rolling of the mountain as a means of scratching His body, and thus He felt a pleasing sensation.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Unlimited Lord Bears the Mountain Easily

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always unlimited.

  2. 2

    In His tortoise body, He held Mandara-parvata, the largest of mountains, without any inconvenience.

  3. 3

    As the demigods and demons rotated the mountain, He accepted its movement as a pleasing scratch on His body.

Key points from the purport
  • The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always the unlimited.
  • Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His body as a tortoise, held on His back the largest of mountains, Mandara-parvata, He did not feel any inconvenience.
  • On the contrary, He apparently felt some itching, and thus the rotation of the mountain was certainly very pleasing.

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

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 7: Lord Śiva Saves the Universe by Drinking Poison

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead then appeared in the form of a tortoise and supported Mandara Mountain on His back. Then the churning resumed with great force.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.7
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sura-asura-indraiḥby the leaders of the demons and the demigods
  2. bhuja-vīryaby the strength of their arms
  3. vepitammoving
  4. paribhramantamrotating
  5. girimthe mountain
  6. aṅgaO Mahārāja Parīkṣit
  7. pṛṣṭhataḥon His back
  8. bibhratbore
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 8.7

    In this verse: “king”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does the Lord's ease in bearing the mountain deepen your appreciation of His unlimited power?

Practice

Spend one quiet minute remembering that the Supreme Personality of Godhead bore the great mountain without inconvenience.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Unlimited Lord Bears the Mountain EasilyThis 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 8.7.10? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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