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 9 · Liberation · 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 9 · Chapter 8: The Sons of Sagara Meet Lord Kapiladeva
9.8.89.8.11

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 9.8.9-10

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 9.8.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

प्रागुदीच्यां दिशि हयं दद‍ृशु: कपिलान्तिके ।

एष वाजिहरश्चौर आस्ते मीलितलोचन: ॥ ९ ॥

हन्यतां हन्यतां पाप इति षष्टिसहस्रिण: ।

उदायुधा अभिययुरुन्मिमेष तदा मुनि: ॥ १० ॥

prāg-udīcyāṁ diśi hayaṁ

dadṛśuḥ kapilāntike

eṣa vāji-haraś caura

āste mīlita-locanaḥ

hanyatāṁ hanyatāṁ pāpa

iti ṣaṣṭi-sahasriṇaḥ

udāyudhā abhiyayur

unmimeṣa tadā muniḥ

Translation

Thereafter, in the northeastern direction, they saw the horse near the āśrama of Kapila Muni. “Here is the man who has stolen the horse,” they said. “He is staying there with closed eyes. Certainly he is very sinful. Kill him! Kill him!” Shouting like this, the sons of Sagara, sixty thousand all together, raised their weapons. When they approached the sage, the sage opened His eyes.

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.

An Accusation Leads to Threatened Violence

  1. 1

    In the northeastern direction, Sagara’s sons found the horse near the āśrama of Kapila Muni.

  2. 2

    Seeing Him there with closed eyes, they accused Him of stealing the horse and called for His death.

  3. 3

    All sixty thousand raised their weapons and approached the sage. Kapila Muni then opened His eyes.

How it feels

Attachment and struggle → Renunciation and responsibility. Multiple royal lives reveal the cost of choices.

Chapters 6–9 of Canto 9: Saubhari, Sagara and Bhagīratha's lineage. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 8: The Sons of Sagara Meet Lord Kapiladeva

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The king did not kill them, but reformed them. Then, again following the instructions of Aurva, King Sagara performed aśvamedha sacrifices, but the horse needed for such a sacrifice was stolen by Indra, the King of heaven.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.8
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. prāk-udīcyāmin the northeastern
  2. diśidirection
  3. hayamthe horse
  4. dadṛśuḥthey saw
  5. kapila-antikenear the āśrama of Kapila
  6. eṣaḥhere is
  7. vāji-haraḥthe horse thief
  8. cauraḥthe thief
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 9.8

    In this verse: “āśrama”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 9.8

    In this verse: “sinful”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 9.8

    In this verse: “death”

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

Do you ever move from seeing something to accusing someone without first asking questions?

Practice

If a suspicion arises today, pause and ask a calm question before making an accusation.

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.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 9.8's connections

Live this todayAn Accusation Leads to Threatened ViolenceThis 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 9.8.9-10? Get an answer from the verses themselves.