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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
8.7.298.7.31

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.7.30

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The prajāpatissince 8.7.21inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

छाया त्वधर्मोर्मिषु यैर्विसर्गो

नेत्रत्रयं सत्त्वरजस्तमांसि ।

साङ्ख्यात्मन: शास्त्रकृतस्तवेक्षा

छन्दोमयो देव ऋषि: पुराण: ॥ ३० ॥

chāyā tv adharmormiṣu yair visargo

netra-trayaṁ sattva-rajas-tamāṁsi

sāṅkhyātmanaḥ śāstra-kṛtas tavekṣā

chandomayo deva ṛṣiḥ purāṇaḥ

Translation

O lord, your shadow is seen in irreligion, which brings about varieties of irreligious creations. The three modes of nature — goodness, passion and ignorance — are your three eyes. All the Vedic literatures, which are full of verses, are emanations from you because their compilers wrote the various scriptures after receiving your glance.

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.

Vedic Literature Follows the Lord’s Glance

  1. 1

    The prayer describes irreligion as the lord’s shadow. From it arise varieties of irreligious creations.

  2. 2

    The three modes of nature—goodness, passion and ignorance—are described as his three eyes.

  3. 3

    All Vedic literatures, full of verses, are described as emanations from him. Their compilers wrote the scriptures after receiving his glance.

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 prajāpatis, seeing no one else to save them, approached Lord Śiva and offered him prayers full of truth. Lord Śiva is called Āśutoṣa because he is very pleased if one is a devotee.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.7
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. chāyāshadow
  2. tubut
  3. adharma-ūrmiṣuin the waves of irreligion, like kāma, krodha, lobha and moha
  4. yaiḥby which
  5. visargaḥso many varieties of creation
  6. netra-trayamthree eyes
  7. sattvagoodness
  8. rajaḥpassion
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

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How might this account of the scriptures’ origin affect the care with which you read them?

Practice

Reread this translation slowly, with respect for the divine source it attributes to Vedic literature.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayVedic Literature Follows the Lord’s GlanceThis 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 8.7.30? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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