Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8: “Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Twenty-four

SB8.24.25

TEXT 25

evam vimohitas tena

vadata valgu-bharatim

tam aha ko bhavan asman

matsya-rupena mohayan

SYNONYMS

evam—thus; vimohitah—bewildered; tena—by the fish; vadata—speaking; valgu-bharatim—sweet words; tam—unto him; aha—said; kah—who; bhavan—You; asman—us; matsya-rupena—in the form of a fish; mohayan—bewildering.

TRANSLATION

After hearing these sweet words from the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the form of a fish, the King, being bewildered, asked Him: Who are You, sir? You simply bewilder us.

SB8.24.26

TEXT 26

naivam viryo jalacaro

drsto ’smabhih sruto ’pi va

yo bhavan yojana-satam

ahnabhivyanase sarah

SYNONYMS

na—not; evam—thus; viryah—powerful; jala-carah—aquatic; drstah—seen; asmabhih—by us; srutah api—nor heard of; va—either; yah—who; bhavan—Your Lordship; yojana-satam—hundreds of miles; ahna—in one day; abhivyanase—expanding; sarah—water.

TRANSLATION

My Lord, in one day You have expanded Yourself for hundreds of miles, covering the water of the river and the ocean. Before this I had never seen or heard of such an aquatic animal.

SB8.24.27

TEXT 27

nunam tvam bhagavan saksad

dharir narayano ’vyayah

anugrahaya bhutanam

dhatse rupam jalaukasam

SYNONYMS

nunam—certainly; tvam—You (are); bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saksat—directly; harih—the Lord; narayanah—the Personality of Godhead; avyayah—inexhaustible; anugrahaya—to show mercy; bhutanam—to all living entities; dhatse—You have assumed; rupam—a form; jala-okasam—like an aquatic.

TRANSLATION

My Lord, You are certainly the inexhaustible Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, Sri Hari. It is to show Your mercy to the living entities that You have now assumed the form of an aquatic.

SB8.24.28

TEXT 28

namas te purusa-srestha

sthity-utpatty-apyayesvara

bhaktanam nah prapannanam

mukhyo hy atma-gatir vibho

SYNONYMS

namah—I offer my respectful obeisances; te—unto You; purusa-srestha—the best of all living entities, the best of all enjoyers; sthiti—of maintenance; utpatti—creation; apyaya—and destruction; isvara—the Supreme Lord; bhaktanam—of Your devotees; nah—like us; prapannanam—those who are surrendered; mukhyah—the supreme; hi—indeed; atma-gatih—the supreme destination; vibho—Lord Visnu.

TRANSLATION

O my Lord, master of creation, maintenance and annihilation, O best of enjoyers, Lord Visnu, You are the leader and destination of surrendered devotees like us. Therefore let me offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

SB8.24.29

TEXT 29

sarve lilavataras te

bhutanam bhuti-hetavah

jnatum icchamy ado rupam

yad-artham bhavata dhrtam

SYNONYMS

sarve—everything; lila—pastimes; avatarah—incarnations; te—of Your Lordship; bhutanam—of all living entities; bhuti—of a flourishing condition; hetavah—the causes; jnatum—to know; icchami—I wish; adah—this; rupam—form; yat-artham—for what purpose; bhavata—by Your Lordship; dhrtam—assumed.

TRANSLATION

All Your pastimes and incarnations certainly appear for the welfare of all living entities. Therefore, my Lord, I wish to know the purpose for which You have assumed this form of a fish.

SB8.24.30

TEXT 30

na te ’ravindaksa padopasarpanam

mrsa bhavet sarva-suhrt-priyatmanah

yathetaresam prthag-atmanam satam

adidrso yad vapur adbhutam hi nah

SYNONYMS

na—never; te—of Your Lordship; aravinda-aksa—My Lord, whose eyes are like the petals of a lotus; pada-upasarpanam—worship of the lotus feet; mrsa—useless; bhavet—can become; sarva-suhrt—the friend of everyone; priya—dear to everyone; atmanah—the Supersoul of everyone; yatha—as; itaresam—of others (the demigods); prthak-atmanam—living entities who have material bodies different from the soul; satam—of those who are spiritually fixed; adidrsah—You have manifested; yat—that; vapuh—body; adbhutam—wonderful; hi—indeed; nah—unto us.

TRANSLATION

O my Lord, possessing eyes like the petals of a lotus, the worship of the demigods, who are in the bodily concept of life, is fruitless in all respects. But because You are the supreme friend and dearmost Supersoul of everyone, worship of Your lotus feet is never useless. You have therefore manifested Your form as a fish.

PURPORT

The demigods like Indra, Candra and Surya are ordinary living entities who are differentiated parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord expands Himself through the living beings (nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam). His personal visnu-tattva forms, which are all spiritual, are called svamsa, and the living entities who are differentiated parts are called vibhinnamsa. Some of the vibhinnamsa forms are spiritual, and some are a combination of matter and spirit. The conditioned souls in the material world are different from their external bodies made of material energy. Thus the demigods living in the upper planetary systems and the living entities living in the lower planetary system are of the same nature. Nonetheless, those living as human beings on this planet are sometimes attracted to worshiping the demigods in the higher planetary systems. Such worship is temporary. As the human beings on this planet have to change their bodies (tatha dehantara-praptih), the living entities known as Indra, Candra, Varuna and so on will also have to change their bodies in due course of time. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam: “Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary.” Kamais tais tair hrta jnanah prapadyante ’nya-devatah: [Bg. 7.20] those who do not know the position of the demigods are inclined to worship the demigods for some material purpose, but the results of such worship are never permanent. Consequently, here it is said, yathetaresam prthag-atmanam satam, padopasarpanam mrsa bhavet. In other words, if one is to worship someone else, he must worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then his worship will never be fruitless. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat: even a slight attempt to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a permanent asset. Therefore, as recommended in Srimad-Bhagavatam, tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam hareh. One should take to the worship of the lotus feet of Hari, even if this means giving up the so-called occupational duty assigned because of the particular body one has accepted. Because worship in terms of the body is temporary, it does not bear any permanent fruit. But worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead gives immense benefit.

SB8.24.31

TEXT 31

sri-suka uvaca

iti bruvanam nrpatim jagat-patih

satyavratam matsya-vapur yuga-ksaye

vihartu-kamah pralayarnave ’bravic

cikirsur ekanta-jana-priyah priyam

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti—thus; bruvanam—speaking like that; nrpatim—unto the King; jagat-patih—the master of the entire universe; satyavratam—unto Satyavrata; matsya-vapuh—the Lord, who had assumed the form of a fish; yuga-ksaye—at the end of a yuga; vihartu-kamah—to enjoy His own pastimes; pralaya-arnave—in the water of inundation; abravit—said; cikirsuh—desiring to do; ekanta-jana-priyah—most beloved by the devotees; priyam—something very beneficial.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami said: When King Satyavrata spoke in this way, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who at the end of the yuga had assumed the form of a fish to benefit His devotee and enjoy His pastimes in the water of inundation, responded as follows.

SB8.24.32

TEXT 32

sri-bhagavan uvaca

saptame hy adyatanad urdhvam

ahany etad arindama

nimanksyaty apyayambhodhau

trailokyam bhur-bhuvadikam

SYNONYMS

sri-bhagavan uvaca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; saptame—on the seventh; hi—indeed; adyatanat—from today; urdhvam—forward; ahani—on the day; etat—this creation; arimdama—O King who can subdue your enemies; nimanksyati—shall be inundated; apyaya-ambhodhau—in the ocean of destruction; trailokyam—the three lokas; bhuh-bhuva-adikam—namely Bhurloka, Bhuvarloka and Svarloka.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O King, who can subdue your enemies, on the seventh day from today the three worlds—Bhuh, Bhuvah and Svah—will all merge into the water of inundation.

SB8.24.33

TEXT 33

tri-lokyam liyamanayam

samvartambhasi vai tada

upasthasyati nauh kacid

visala tvam mayerita

SYNONYMS

tri-lokyam—the three lokas; liyamanayam—upon being merged; samvarta-ambhasi—in the water of destruction; vai—indeed; tada—at that time; upasthasyati—will appear; nauh—boat; kacit—one; visala—very big; tvam—unto you; maya—by Me; irita—sent.

TRANSLATION

When all the three worlds merge into the water, a large boat sent by Me will appear before you.

SB8.24.34-35

TEXTS 34–35

tvam tavad osadhih sarva

bijany uccavacani ca

saptarsibhih parivrtah

sarva-sattvopabrmhitah

aruhya brhatim navam

vicarisyasy aviklavah

ekarnave niraloke

rsinam eva varcasa

SYNONYMS

tvam—you; tavat—until that time; osadhih—herbs; sarvah—all kinds of; bijani—seeds; ucca-avacani—lower and higher; ca—and; sapta-rsibhih—by the seven rsis; parivrtah—surrounded; sarva-sattva—all kinds of living entities; upabrmhitah—surrounded by; aruhya—getting on; brhatim—very large; navam—boat; vicarisyasi—shall travel; aviklavah—without moroseness; eka-arnave—in the ocean of inundation; niraloke—without being illuminated; rsinam—of the great rsis; eva—indeed; varcasa—by the effulgence.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, O King, you shall collect all types of herbs and seeds and load them on that great boat. Then, accompanied by the seven rsis and surrounded by all kinds of living entities, you shall get aboard that boat, and without moroseness you shall easily travel with your companions on the ocean of inundation, the only illumination being the effulgence of the great rsis.

SB8.24.36

TEXT 36

dodhuyamanam tam navam

samirena baliyasa

upasthitasya me srnge

nibadhnihi mahahina

SYNONYMS

dodhuyamanam—being tossed about; tam—that; navam—boat; samirena—by the wind; baliyasa—very powerful; upasthitasya—situated nearby; me—of Me; srnge—to the horn; nibadhnihi—bind; maha-ahina—by the large serpent (Vasuki).

TRANSLATION

Then, as the boat is tossed about by the powerful winds, attach the vessel to My horn by means of the great serpent Vasuki, for I shall be present by your side.

SB8.24.37

TEXT 37

aham tvam rsibhih sardham

saha-navam udanvati

vikarsan vicarisyami

yavad brahmi nisa prabho

SYNONYMS

aham—I; tvam—unto you; rsibhih—with all the saintly persons; sardham—all together; saha—with; navam—the boat; udanvati—in the water of devastation; vikarsan—contacting; vicarisyami—I shall travel; yavat—as long as; brahmi—pertaining to Lord Brahma; nisa—night; prabho—O King.

TRANSLATION

Pulling the boat, with you and all the rsis in it, O King, I shall travel in the water of devastation until the night of Lord Brahma’s slumber is over.

PURPORT

This particular devastation actually took place not during the night of Lord Brahma but during his day, for it was during the time of Caksusa Manu. Brahma’s night takes place when Brahma goes to sleep, but in the daytime there are fourteen Manus, one of whom is Caksusa Manu. Therefore, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura comments that although it was daytime for Lord Brahma, Brahma felt sleepy for a short time by the supreme will of the Lord. This short period is regarded as Lord Brahma’s night. This has been elaborately discussed by Srila Rupa Gosvami in his Laghu-bhagavatamrta. The following is a summary of his analysis. Because Agastya Muni cursed Svayambhuva Manu, during the time of Svayambhuva Manu a devastation took place. This devastation is mentioned in the Matsya Purana. During the time of Caksusa Manu, by the supreme will of the Lord, there was suddenly another pralaya, or devastation. This is mentioned by Markandeya Rsi in the Visnu-dharmottara. At the end of Manu’s time there is not necessarily a devastation, but at the end of the Caksusa-manvantara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His illusory energy, wanted to show Satyavrata the effects of devastation. Srila Sridhara Svami also agrees with this opinion. The Laghu-bhagavatamrta says:

madhye manvantarasyaiva
muneh sapan manum prati
pralayo ’sau babhuveti
purane kvacid iryate

ayam akasmiko jatas
caksusasyantare manoh
pralayah padmanabhasya
lilayeti ca kutracit

sarva-manvantarasyante
pralayo niscitam bhavet
visnu-dharmottare tv etat
markandeyena bhasitam

manor ante layo nasti
manave ’darsi mayaya
visnuneti bruvanais tu
svamibhir naisa manyate

SB8.24.38

TEXT 38

madiyam mahimanam ca

param brahmeti sabditam

vetsyasy anugrhitam me

samprasnair vivrtam hrdi

SYNONYMS

madiyam—pertaining to Me; mahimanam—glories; ca—and; param brahma—the Supreme Brahman, the Absolute Truth; iti—thus; sabditam—celebrated; vetsyasi—you shall understand; anugrhitam—being favored; me—by Me; samprasnaih—by inquiries; vivrtam—thoroughly explained; hrdi—within the heart.

TRANSLATION

You will be thoroughly advised and favored by Me, and because of your inquiries, everything about My glories, which are known as param brahma, will be manifest within your heart. Thus you will know everything about Me.

PURPORT

As stated in Bhagavad-gita (15.15), sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca: the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramatma, is situated in everyone’s heart, and from Him come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. The Lord reveals Himself in proportion to one’s surrender to Him. Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham [Bg. 4.11]. In responsive cooperation, the Lord reveals Himself in proportion to one’s surrender. That which is revealed to one who fully surrenders is different from what is revealed to one who surrenders partially. Everyone naturally surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, either directly or indirectly. The conditioned soul surrenders to the laws of nature in material existence, but when one fully surrenders to the Lord, material nature does not act upon him. Such a fully surrendered soul is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. One who has fully surrendered to the Lord has no fear of the modes of material nature, for everything is but an expansion of the Lord’s glories (sarvam khalv idam brahma), and these glories are gradually revealed and realized. The Lord is the supreme purifier (param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]). The more one is purified and the more he wants to know about the Supreme, the more the Lord reveals to him. Full knowledge of Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan is revealed to the pure devotees. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (10.11):

tesam evanukampartham
aham ajnana-jam tamah
nasayamy atma-bhavastho
jnana-dipena bhasvata

“Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.”

SB8.24.39

TEXT 39

ittham adisya rajanam

harir antaradhiyata

so ’nvavaiksata tam kalam

yam hrsikesa adisat

SYNONYMS

ittham—as aforementioned; adisya—instructing; rajanam—the King (Satyavrata); harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; antaradhiyata—disappeared from that place; sah—he (the King); anvavaiksata—began to wait for; tam kalam—that time; yam—which; hrsika-isah—Lord Hrsikesa, the master of all the senses; adisat—instructed.

TRANSLATION

After thus instructing the King, the Supreme Personality of Godhead immediately disappeared. Then King Satyavrata began to wait for that time of which the Lord had instructed.

SB8.24.40

TEXT 40

astirya darbhan prak-kulan

rajarsih prag-udan-mukhah

nisasada hareh padau

cintayan matsya-rupinah

SYNONYMS

astirya—spreading; darbhankusa grass; prak-kulan—the upper portion facing east; raja-rsih—Satyavrata, the saintly King; prak-udak-mukhah—looking toward the northeast (isana); nisasada—sat down; hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; padau—upon the lotus feet; cintayan—meditating; matsya-rupinah—who had assumed the form of a fish.

TRANSLATION

After spreading kusa with its tips pointing east, the saintly King, himself facing the northeast, sat down on the grass and began to meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, who had assumed the form of a fish.

SB8.24.41

TEXT 41

tatah samudra udvelah

sarvatah plavayan mahim

vardhamano maha-meghair

varsadbhih samadrsyata

SYNONYMS

tatah—thereafter; samudrah—the ocean; udvelah—overflowing; sarvatah—everywhere; plavayan—inundating; mahim—the earth; vardhamanah—increasing more and more; maha-meghaih—by gigantic clouds; varsadbhih—incessantly pouring rain; samadrsyata—King Satyavrata saw it.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, gigantic clouds pouring incessant water swelled the ocean more and more. Thus the ocean began to overflow onto the land and inundate the entire world.

SB8.24.42

TEXT 42

dhyayan bhagavad-adesam

dadrse navam agatam

tam aruroha viprendrair

adayausadhi-virudhah

SYNONYMS

dhyayan—remembering; bhagavat-adesam—the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dadrse—he saw; navam—a boat; agatam—coming near; tam—aboard the boat; aruroha—got up; vipra-indraih—with the saintly brahmanas; adaya—taking; ausadhi—herbs; virudhah—and creepers.

TRANSLATION

As Satyavrata remembered the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he saw a boat coming near him. Thus he collected herbs and creepers, and, accompanied by saintly brahmanas, he got aboard the boat.

SB8.24.43

TEXT 43

tam ucur munayah prita

rajan dhyayasva kesavam

sa vai nah sankatad asmad

avita sam vidhasyati

SYNONYMS

tam—unto the King; ucuh—said; munayah—all the saintly brahmanas; pritah—being pleased; rajan—O King; dhyayasva—meditate; kesavam—upon the Supreme Lord, Kesava; sah—His Lordship; vai—indeed; nah—us; sankatat—from the great danger; asmat—as now visible; avita—will save; sam—auspiciousness; vidhasyati—He will arrange.

TRANSLATION

The saintly brahmanas, being pleased with the King, said to him: O King, please meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kesava. He will save us from this impending danger and arrange for our well-being.

SB8.24.44

TEXT 44

so ’nudhyatas tato rajna

pradurasin maharnave

eka-srnga-dharo matsyo

haimo niyuta-yojanah

SYNONYMS

sah—the Lord; anudhyatah—being meditated upon; tatah—thereafter (hearing the words of the saintly brahmanas); rajna—by the King; pradurasit—appeared (before him); maha-arnave—in the great ocean of inundation; eka-srnga-dharah—with one horn; matsyah—a big fish; haimah—made of gold; niyuta-yojanah—eight million miles long.

TRANSLATION

Then, while the King constantly meditated upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a large golden fish appeared in the ocean of inundation. The fish had one horn and was eight million miles long.

SB8.24.45

TEXT 45

nibadhya navam tac-chrnge

yathokto harina pura

varatrenahina tustas

tustava madhusudanam

SYNONYMS

nibadhya—anchoring; navam—the boat; tat-srnge—onto the horn of the big fish; yatha-uktah—as advised; harina—by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pura—before; varatrena—used as a rope; ahina—by the great serpent (of the name Vasuki); tustah—being pleased; tustava—he satisfied; madhusudanam—the Supreme Lord, the killer of Madhu.

TRANSLATION

Following the instructions formerly given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the King anchored the boat to the fish’s horn, using the serpent Vasuki as a rope. Thus being satisfied, he began offering prayers to the Lord.

SB8.24.46

TEXT 46

sri-rajovaca

anady-avidyopahatatma-samvidas

tan-mula-samsara-parisramaturah

yadrcchayopasrta yam apnuyur

vimuktido nah paramo gurur bhavan

SYNONYMS

sri-raja uvaca—the King offered prayers as follows; anadi—from time immemorial; avidya—by ignorance; upahata—has been lost; atma-samvidah—knowledge about the self; tat—that is; mula—the root; samsara—material bondage; parisrama—full of miserable conditions and hard work; aturah—suffering; yadrcchaya—by the supreme will; upasrtah—being favored by the acarya; yam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; apnuyuh—can achieve; vimukti-dah—the process of liberation; nah—our; paramah—the supreme; guruh—spiritual master; bhavan—Your Lordship.

TRANSLATION

The King said: By the grace of the Lord, those who have lost their self-knowledge since time immemorial, and who because of this ignorance are involved in a material, conditional life full of miseries, obtain the chance to meet the Lord’s devotee. I accept that Supreme Personality of Godhead as the supreme spiritual master.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually the supreme spiritual master. The Supreme Lord knows everything about the suffering of the conditioned soul, and therefore He appears in this material world, sometimes personally, sometimes by an incarnation and sometimes by authorizing a living being to act on His behalf. In all cases, however, He is the original spiritual master who enlightens the conditioned souls who are suffering in the material world. The Lord is always busy helping the conditioned souls in many ways. Therefore He is addressed here as paramo gurur bhavan. The representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who acts to spread Krsna consciousness is also guided by the Supreme Lord to act properly in executing the Lord’s order. Such a person may appear to be an ordinary human being, but because he acts on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme spiritual master, he is not to be neglected as ordinary. It is therefore said, acaryam mam vijaniyat: an acarya who acts on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead should be understood to be as good as the Supreme Lord Himself.

saksad dharitvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam **

Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has advised that the spiritual master acting on the Supreme Lord’s behalf must be worshiped as being as good as the Supreme Lord, for he is the Lord’s most confidential servant in broadcasting the Lord’s message for the benefit of the conditioned souls involved in the material world.

SB8.24.47

TEXT 47

jano ’budho ’yam nija-karma-bandhanah

sukhecchaya karma samihate ’sukham

yat-sevaya tam vidhunoty asan-matim

granthim sa bhindyad dhrdayam sa no guruh

SYNONYMS

janah—the conditioned soul subjected to birth and death; abudhah—most foolish because of accepting the body as the self; ayam—he; nija-karma-bandhanah—accepting different bodily forms as a result of his sinful activities; sukha-icchaya—desiring to be happy within this material world; karma—fruitive activities; samihate—plans; asukham—but it is for distress only; yat-sevaya—by rendering service unto whom; tam—the entanglement of karma; vidhunoti—clears up; asat-matim—the unclean mentality (accepting the body as the self); granthim—hard knot; sah—His Lordship the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhindyat—being cut off; hrdayam—in the core of the heart; sah—He (the Lord); nah—our; guruh—the supreme spiritual master.

TRANSLATION

In hopes of becoming happy in this material world, the foolish conditioned soul performs fruitive activities that result only in suffering. But by rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one becomes free from such false desires for happiness. May my supreme spiritual master cut the knot of false desires from the core of my heart.

PURPORT

For material happiness, the conditioned soul involves himself in fruitive activities, which actually put him into material distress. Because the conditioned soul does not know this, he is said to be in avidya, or ignorance. Because of a false hope for happiness, the conditioned soul becomes involved in various plans for material activity. Here Maharaja Satyavrata prays that the Lord sever this hard knot of false happiness and thus become his supreme spiritual master.

Next verse (SB8.24.48)