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

Chapter One

SB8.1.13

TEXT 13

sa visva-kayah puru-huta-isah

satyah svayam-jyotir ajah puranah

dhatte ’sya janmady-ajayatma-saktya

tam vidyayodasya niriha aste

SYNONYMS

sah—that Supreme Personality of Godhead; visva-kayah—the total form of the universe (the whole universe is the external body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead); puru-hutah—known by so many names; isah—the supreme controller (with full power); satyah—the ultimate truth; svayam—personally; jyotih—self-effulgent; ajah—unborn, beginningless; puranah—the oldest; dhatte—He performs; asya—of this universe; janma-adi—the creation, maintenance and annihilation; ajaya—by His external energy; atma-saktya—by His personal potency; tam—that external material energy; vidyaya—by His spiritual potency; udasya—giving up; nirihah—without any desire or activity; aste—He is existing (untouched by the material energy).

TRANSLATION

The entire cosmic manifestation is the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, who has millions of names and unlimited potencies. He is self-effulgent, unborn and changeless. He is the beginning of everything, but He has no beginning. Because He has created this cosmic manifestation by His external energy, the universe appears to be created, maintained and annihilated by Him. Nonetheless, He remains inactive in His spiritual energy and is untouched by the activities of the material energy.

PURPORT

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says in His Siksastaka, namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktih: the Supreme Personality of Godhead has many names, which are all nondifferent from the Supreme Person. This is spiritual existence. By chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, consisting of names of the Supreme Lord, we find that the name has all the potencies of the person. The Lord’s activities are many, and according to His activities He has many names. He appeared as the son of mother Yasoda, and also as the son of mother Devaki, and therefore He is named Devaki-nandana and Yasoda-nandana. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate: the Lord has a multitude of energies, and therefore He acts in multifarious ways. Yet He has a particular name. The sastras recommend which names we should chant, such as Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. It is not that we have to search for some name or manufacture one. Rather, we must follow the saintly persons and the sastras in chanting His holy name.

Although the material and spiritual energies both belong to the Lord, He is impossible to understand as long as we are in the material energy. And when we come to the spiritual energy, He is very easy to know. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.7.23): mayam vyudasya cic-chaktya kaivalye sthita atmani. Although the external energy belongs to the Lord, when one is in the external energy (mama maya duratyaya) He is very difficult to understand. However, when one comes to the spiritual energy, one can understand Him. Therefore in Bhagavad-gita (18.55) it is said, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah: one who wants to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead in reality must take to the platform of bhakti, or Krsna consciousness. This bhakti consists of various activities (sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam/ arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23]), and to understand the Lord one must take to this path of devotional service. Even though the people of the world have forgotten God and may say that God is dead, this is not a fact. One can understand God when one takes to the Krsna consciousness movement, and thus one can be happy.

SB8.1.14

TEXT 14

athagre rsayah karman-

ihante ’karma-hetave

ihamano hi purusah

prayo ’niham prapadyate

SYNONYMS

atha—therefore; agre—in the beginning; rsayah—all learned rsis, saintly persons; karmani—fruitive activities; ihante—execute; akarma—freedom from fruitive results; hetave—for the purpose of; ihamanah—engaging in such activities; hi—indeed; purusah—a person; prayah—almost always; aniham—liberation from karma; prapadyate—attains.

TRANSLATION

Therefore, to enable people to reach the stage of activities that are not tinged by fruitive results, great saints first engage people in fruitive activities, for unless one begins by performing activities as recommended in the sastras, one cannot reach the stage of liberation, or activities that produce no reactions.

PURPORT

In Bhagavad-gita (3.9) Lord Krsna advises, yajnarthat karmano ’nyatra loko ’yam karma-bandhanah: “Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world.” Generally, everyone is attracted to hard labor for becoming happy in this material world, but although various activities are going on all over the world simply for the sake of happiness, unfortunately only problems are being created from such fruitive activities. Therefore it is advised that active persons engage in activities of Krsna consciousness, which are called yajna, because then they will gradually come to the platform of devotional service. Yajna means Lord Visnu, the yajna-purusa, the enjoyer of all sacrifices (bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]). The Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually the enjoyer, and therefore if we begin our activities for His satisfaction, we will gradually lose our taste for material activities.

Suta Gosvami declared to the great assembly of sages at Naimisaranya:

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam

“O best among the twice-born, it is concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve, by discharging his prescribed duties [dharma] according to caste divisions and order of life, is to please the Lord Hari.” (Bhag. 1.2.13) According to Vedic principles, everyone must act according to his classification as brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha or sannyasi. Everyone should progress toward perfection by acting in such a way that Krsna will be pleased (samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]). One cannot please Krsna by sitting idly; one must act according to the directions of the spiritual master for the sake of pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and then one will gradually come to the stage of pure devotional service. As confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.5.12):

naiskarmyam apy acyuta-bhava-varjitam
na sobhate jnanam alam niranjanam

“Knowledge of self-realization, even though freed from all material affinity, does not look well if devoid of a conception of the infallible [God].” Jnanis recommend that one adopt naiskarmya by not doing anything but simply meditating and thinking of Brahman, but this is impossible unless one realizes Parabrahman, Krsna. If there is no Krsna consciousness, any kind of activity, be it philanthropic, political or social, simply causes karma-bandhana, bondage to material work.

As long as one is entangled in karma-bandhana, one must accept different types of bodies that spoil the human form of facility. Therefore, in Bhagavad-gita (6.3) karma-yoga is recommended:

aruruksor muner yogam
karma karanam ucyate
yogarudhasya tasyaiva
samah karanam ucyate

“For one who is a neophyte in the yoga system, work is said to be the means; and for one who has already attained to yoga, cessation of all material activities is said to be the means.” Nonetheless:

karmendriyani samyamya
ya aste manasa smaran
indriyarthan vimudhatma
mithyacarah sa ucyate

“One who restrains the senses and organs of action, but whose mind dwells on sense objects, certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.” (Bg. 3.6) One should act for Krsna very seriously in order to become fully Krsna conscious and should not sit down to imitate such great personalities as Haridasa Thakura. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura condemned such imitation. Me said:

dusta mana! tumi kisera vaisnava?
pratisthara tare, nirjanera ghare,
tava hari-nama kevala kaitava

“My dear mind, what kind of devotee are you? Simply for cheap adoration, you sit in a solitary place and pretend to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, but this is all cheating.” Recently at Mayapur an African devotee wanted to imitate Haridasa Thakura, but after fifteen days he became restless and went away. Do not suddenly try to imitate Haridasa Thakura. Engage yourself in Krsna conscious activities, and gradually you will come to the stage of liberation (muktir hitvanyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih).

SB8.1.15

TEXT 15

ihate bhagavan iso

na hi tatra visajjate

atma-labhena purnartho

navasidanti ye ’nu tam

SYNONYMS

ihate—engages in activities of creation, maintenance and annihilation; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna; isah—the supreme controller; na—not; hi—indeed; tatra—in such activities; visajjate—He becomes entangled; atma-labhena—because of His own gain; purna-arthah—who is self-satisfied; na—not; avasidanti—are disheartened; ye—persons who; anu—follow; tam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is full in opulence by His own gain, yet He acts as the creator, maintainer and annihilator of this material world. In spite of acting in that way, He is never entangled. Hence devotees who follow in His footsteps are also never entangled.

PURPORT

As stated in Bhagavad-gita (3.9), yajnarthat karmano ’nyatra loko ’yam karma-bandhanah: “work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world.” If we do not act in Krsna consciousness we shall be entangled, like silkworms in cocoons. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, appears in order to teach us how to work so that we will not be entangled in this material world. Our real problem is that we are entangled in materialistic activities, and because we are conditioned, our struggle continues through punishment in material existence in one body after another in different forms of life. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (15.7):

mamaivamso jiva-loke
jiva-bhutah sanatanah
manah sasthanindriyani
prakrti-sthani karsati

“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.” The living entities are actually minute forms who are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is full in everything, and the small particles of the Lord are also originally qualified like Him, but because of their minute existence, they are infected by material attraction and thus entangled. We must therefore follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and then, like Krsna, who is never entangled by His material activities of creation, maintenance and annihilation, we will have nothing for which to lament (navasidanti ye ’nu tam). Krsna personally gives instructions in Bhagavad-gita, and anyone who follows these instructions is liberated.

Following Krsna’s instructions is possible when one is a devotee, for Krsna instructs that one should become a devotee. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru: “Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me.” (Bg. 18.65) Always thinking of Krsna means chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, but unless one is an initiated devotee he cannot do this. As soon as one becomes a devotee, he engages in Deity worship (mad-yaji). A devotee’s business is to offer obeisances to the Lord and the spiritual master constantly. This principle is the recognized way to come to the platform of bhakti. As soon as one comes to this platform, he gradually understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and simply by understanding Krsna one is liberated from material bondage.

SB8.1.16

TEXT 16

tam ihamanam nirahankrtam budham

nirasisam purnam ananya-coditam

nrn siksayantam nija-vartma-samsthitam

prabhum prapadye ’khila-dharma-bhavanam

SYNONYMS

tam—unto the same Supreme Personality of Godhead; ihamanam—who is acting for our benefit; nirahankrtam—who is without entanglement or desire for gain; budham—who is completely in knowledge; nirasisam—without desires to enjoy the fruits of His activities; purnam—who is full and therefore has no need to fulfill desires; ananya—by others; coditam—induced or inspired; nrn—all of human society; siksayantam—to teach (the real path of life); nija-vartma—His own personal way of life; samsthitam—to establish (without deviation); prabhum—unto the Supreme Lord; prapadye—I request everyone to surrender; akhila-dharma-bhavanam—who is the master of all religious principles or the occupational duties for a human being.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, works just like an ordinary human being, yet He does not desire to enjoy the fruits of work. He is full in knowledge, free from material desires and diversions, and completely independent. As the supreme teacher of human society, He teaches His own way of activities, and thus He inaugurates the real path of religion. I request everyone to follow Him.

PURPORT

This is the sum and substance of our Krsna consciousness movement. We are simply requesting human society to follow in the footsteps of the teacher of Bhagavad-gita. Follow the instructions of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and your life will be successful. That is the summary of the Krsna consciousness movement. The organizer of the Krsna consciousness movement is teaching everyone how to follow Lord Ramacandra, how to follow Lord Krsna, and how to follow Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In this material world, we need a leader for a monarchy or good government. Lord Sri Ramacandra, by His practical example, showed how to live for the benefit of all human society. He fought with demons like Ravana, He carried out the orders of His father, and He remained the faithful husband of mother Sita. Thus there is no comparison to Lord Ramacandra’s acting as an ideal king. Indeed, people still hanker for rama-rajya, a government conducted like that of Lord Ramacandra. Similarly, although Lord Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He taught His disciple and devotee Arjuna how to lead a life ending in going back home, back to Godhead (tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so ’rjuna [Bg. 4.9]). All teachings—political, economic, social, religious, cultural and philosophical—are to be found in Bhagavad-gita. One only has to follow them strictly. The Supreme Personality of Godhead also comes as Lord Caitanya just to play the part of a pure devotee. Thus the Lord teaches us in different ways just to make our lives successful, and Svayambhuva Manu requests us to follow Him.

Svayambhuva Manu is the leader of mankind, and he has given a book called Manu-samhita to guide human society. Herein he directs us to follow the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His different incarnations. These incarnations are described in Vedic literature, and Jayadeva Gosvami has described ten important incarnations in summary (kesava dhrta-mina-sarira jaya jagad-isa hare, kesava dhrta-nara-hari-rupa jaya jagad-isa hare, kesava dhrta-buddha-sarira jaya jagad-isa hare, etc.). Svayambhuva Manu instructs us to follow the instructions of God’s incarnations, especially Krsna’s instructions of Bhagavad-gita As It Is.

Appreciating bhakti-marga as instructed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya thus depicted the activities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu:

vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-
siksartham ekah purusah puranah
sri-krsna-caitanya-sarira-dhari
krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye

[Cc. Madya 6.254]

“Let me take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, who has descended in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to teach us real knowledge, His devotional service, and detachment from whatever does not foster Krsna consciousness. He has descended because He is an ocean of transcendental mercy. Let me surrender unto His lotus feet.” (Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka 6.74) In this age of Kali, people cannot follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore the Lord Himself takes the part of Sri Krsna Caitanya to teach personally how to become Krsna conscious. He asks everyone to follow Him and to become a guru to deliver the fallen souls of Kali-yuga.

yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa
amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ ei desa

“Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Sri Krsna as they are given in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.” (Cc. Madhya 7.128) The coherent purpose of Lord Ramacandra, Lord Krsna and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is to teach human society how to be happy by following the instructions of the Supreme Lord.

SB8.1.17

TEXT 17

sri-suka uvaca

iti mantropanisadam

vyaharantam samahitam

drstvasura yatudhana

jagdhum abhyadravan ksudha

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti—thus; mantra-upanisadam—the Vedic mantra (uttered by Svayambhuva Manu); vyaharantam—taught or chanted; samahitam—concentrated the mind (without being agitated by material conditions); drstva—upon seeing (him); asurah—the demons; yatudhanah—the Raksasas; jagdhum—desired to devour; abhyadravan—running very fast; ksudha—to satisfy their appetite.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Svayambhuva Manu was thus in a trance, chanting the mantras of Vedic instruction known as the Upanisads. Upon seeing him, the Raksasas and asuras, being very hungry, wanted to devour him. Therefore they ran after him with great speed.

SB8.1.18

TEXT 18

tams tathavasitan viksya

yajnah sarva-gato harih

yamaih parivrto devair

hatvasasat tri-vistapam

SYNONYMS

tan—the demons and Raksasas; tatha—in that way; avasitan—who were determined to devour Svayambhuva Manu; viksya—upon observing; yajnah—Lord Visnu, known as Yajna; sarva-gatah—who is seated in everyone’s heart; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yamaih—with His sons named the Yamas; parivrtah—surrounded; devaih—by the demigods; hatva—after killing (the demons); asasat—ruled (taking the post of Indra); tri-vistapam—the heavenly planets.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Lord, Visnu, who sits in everyone’s heart, appearing as Yajnapati, observed that the Raksasas and demons were going to devour Svayambhuva Manu. Thus the Lord, accompanied by His sons named the Yamas and by all the other demigods, killed the demons and Raksasas. He then took the post of Indra and began to rule the heavenly kingdom.

PURPORT

The various names of the demigods—Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Lord Indra and so on—are not personal names; they are names of different posts. In this regard, we understand that Lord Visnu sometimes becomes Brahma or Indra when there is no suitable person to occupy these posts.

SB8.1.19

TEXT 19

svarociso dvitiyas tu

manur agneh suto ’bhavat

dyumat-susena-rocismat

pramukhas tasya catmajah

SYNONYMS

svarocisah—Svarocisa; dvitiyah—the second; tu—indeed; manuh—Manu; agneh—of Agni; sutah—the son; abhavat—became; dyumat—Dyumat; susena—Susena; rocismat—Rocismat; pramukhah—beginning with them; tasya—of him (Svarocisa); ca—also; atma-jah—sons.

TRANSLATION

The son of Agni named Svarocisa became the second Manu. His several sons were headed by Dyumat, Susena and Rocismat.

PURPORT

manvantaram manur deva
manu-putrah suresvarah
rsayo ’msavataras ca
hareh sad vidham ucyate

There are many incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Manu, the manu-putrah (the sons of Manu), the king of the heavenly planets, and the seven great sages are all partial incarnations of the Supreme Lord. Manu himself, his sons Priyavrata and Uttanapada, the demigods created by Daksa, and the rsis like Marici were all partial incarnations of the Lord during the reign of Svayambhuva Manu. During that time, the incarnation of the Lord as Yajna took charge of ruling the heavenly planets. The next Manu was Svarocisa. The Manus and the sages and demigods are further described in the following eleven verses.

SB8.1.20

TEXT 20

tatrendro rocanas tv asid

devas ca tusitadayah

urja-stambhadayah sapta

rsayo brahma-vadinah

SYNONYMS

tatra—in this manvantara; indrah—Indra; rocanah—Rocana, the son of Yajna; tu—but; asit—became; devah—demigods; ca—also; tusita-adayah—Tusita and others; urja—Urja; stambha—Stambha; adayah—and others; sapta—seven; rsayah—great saints; brahma-vadinah—all faithful devotees.

TRANSLATION

During the reign of Svarocisa, the post of Indra was assumed by Rocana, the son of Yajna. Tusita and others became the principal demigods, and Urja, Stambha and others became the seven saints. All of them were faithful devotees of the Lord.

SB8.1.21

TEXT 21

rses tu vedasirasas

tusita nama patny abhut

tasyam jajne tato devo

vibhur ity abhivisrutah

SYNONYMS

rseh—of the saintly person; tu—indeed; vedasirasah—Vedasira; tusita—Tusita; nama—named; patni—the wife; abhut—begat; tasyam—in her (womb); jajne—took birth; tatah—thereafter; devah—the Lord; vibhuh—Vibhu; iti—thus; abhivisrutah—celebrated as.

TRANSLATION

Vedasira was a very celebrated rsi. From the womb of his wife, whose name was Tusita, came the avatara named Vibhu.

SB8.1.22

TEXT 22

astasiti-sahasrani

munayo ye dhrta-vratah

anvasiksan vratam tasya

kaumara-brahmacarinah

SYNONYMS

astasiti—eighty-eight; sahasrani—thousand; munayah—great saintly persons; ye—those who; dhrta-vratah—fixed in vows; anvasiksan—took instructions; vratam—vows; tasya—from him (Vibhu); kaumara—who was unmarried; brahmacarinah—and fixed in the brahmacari stage of life.

TRANSLATION

Vibhu remained a brahmacari and never married throughout his life. From him, eighty-eight thousand other saintly persons took lessons on self-control, austerity and similar behavior.

SB8.1.23

TEXT 23

trtiya uttamo nama

priyavrata-suto manuh

pavanah srnjayo yajna-

hotradyas tat-suta nrpa

SYNONYMS

trtiyah—the third; uttamah—Uttama; nama—named; priyavrata—of King Priyavrata; sutah—the son; manuh—he became the Manu; pavanah—Pavana; srnjayah—Srnjaya; yajnahotra-adyah—Yajnahotra and others; tat-sutah—the sons of Uttama; nrpa—O King.

TRANSLATION

O King, the third Manu, Uttama, was the son of King Priyavrata. Among the sons of this Manu were Pavana, Srnjaya and Yajnahotra.

SB8.1.24

TEXT 24

vasistha-tanayah sapta

rsayah pramadadayah

satya vedasruta bhadra

deva indras tu satyajit

SYNONYMS

vasistha-tanayah—the sons of Vasistha; sapta—seven; rsayah—the sages; pramada-adayah—headed by Pramada; satyah—the Satyas; vedasrutah—Vedasrutas; bhadrah—Bhadras; devah—demigods; indrah—the King of heaven; tu—but; satyajit—Satyajit.

TRANSLATION

During the reign of the third Manu, Pramada and other sons of Vasistha became the seven sages. The Satyas, Vedasrutas and Bhadras became demigods, and Satyajit was selected to be Indra, the King of heaven.

SB8.1.25

TEXT 25

dharmasya sunrtayam tu

bhagavan purusottamah

satyasena iti khyato

jatah satyavrataih saha

SYNONYMS

dharmasya—of the demigod in charge of religion; sunrtayam—in the womb of his wife named Sunrta; tu—indeed; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; purusa-uttamah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; satyasenah—Satyasena; iti—thus; khyatah—celebrated; jatah—took birth; satyavrataih—the Satyavratas; saha—with.

TRANSLATION

In this manvantara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared from the womb of Sunrta, who was the wife of Dharma, the demigod in charge of religion. The Lord was celebrated as Satyasena, and He appeared with other demigods, known as the Satyavratas.

SB8.1.26

TEXT 26

so ’nrta-vrata-duhsilan

asato yaksa-raksasan

bhuta-druho bhuta-ganams

cavadhit satyajit-sakhah

SYNONYMS

sah—He (Satyasena); anrta-vrata—who are fond of speaking lies; duhsilan—misbehaved; asatah—miscreant; yaksa-raksasan—Yaksas and Raksasas; bhuta-druhah—who are always against the progress of other living beings; bhuta-ganan—the ghostly living entities; ca—also; avadhit—killed; satyajit-sakhah—with His friend Satyajit.

TRANSLATION

Satyasena, along with His friend Satyajit, who was the King of heaven, Indra, killed all the untruthful, impious and misbehaved Yaksas, Raksasas and ghostly living entities, who gave pains to other living beings.

SB8.1.27

TEXT 27

caturtha uttama-bhrata

manur namna ca tamasah

prthuh khyatir narah ketur

ity adya dasa tat-sutah

SYNONYMS

caturtha—the fourth Manu; uttama-bhrata—the brother of Uttama; manuh—became the Manu; namna—celebrated by the name; ca—also; tamasah—Tamasa; prthuh—Prthu; khyatih—Khyati; narah—Nara; ketuh—Ketu; iti—thus; adyah—headed by; dasa—ten; tat-sutah—sons of Tamasa Manu.

TRANSLATION

The brother of the third Manu, Uttama, was celebrated by the name Tamasa, and he became the fourth Manu. Tamasa had ten sons, headed by Prthu, Khyati, Nara and Ketu.

SB8.1.28

TEXT 28

satyaka harayo vira

devas trisikha isvarah

jyotirdhamadayah sapta

rsayas tamase ’ntare

SYNONYMS

satyakah—the Satyakas; harayah—the Haris; virah—the Viras; devah—the demigods; trisikhah—Trisikha; isvarah—the King of heaven; jyotirdhama-adayah—headed by the celebrated Jyotirdhama; sapta—seven; rsayah—sages; tamase—the reign of Tamasa Manu; antare—within.

TRANSLATION

During the reign of Tamasa Manu, among the demigods were the Satyakas, Haris and Viras. The heavenly King, Indra, was Trisikha. The sages in saptarsi-dhama were headed by Jyotirdhama.

SB8.1.29

TEXT 29

deva vaidhrtayo nama

vidhrtes tanaya nrpa

nastah kalena yair veda

vidhrtah svena tejasa

SYNONYMS

devah—the demigods; vaidhrtayah—the Vaidhrtis; nama—by the name; vidhrteh—of Vidhrti; tanayah—who were the sons; nrpa—O King; nastah—were lost; kalena—by the influence of time; yaih—by whom; vedah—the Vedas; vidhrtah—were protected; svena—by their own; tejasa—power.

TRANSLATION

O King, in the Tamasa manvantara the sons of Vidhrti, who were known as the Vaidhrtis, also became demigods. Since in course of time the Vedic authority was lost, these demigods, by their own powers, protected the Vedic authority.

PURPORT

In the Tamasa manvantara there were two kinds of demigods, and one of them was known as the Vaidhrtis. The duty of the demigods is to protect the authority of the Vedas. The word devata refers to one who carries the authority of the Vedas, whereas Raksasas are those who defy the Vedic authority. If the authority of the Vedas is lost, the entire universe becomes chaotic. Therefore, it is the duty of the demigods, as well as kings and aides of governments, to give full protection to the Vedic authority; otherwise human society will be in a chaotic condition in which there cannot be peace or prosperity.

SB8.1.30

TEXT 30

tatrapi jajne bhagavan

harinyam harimedhasah

harir ity ahrto yena

gajendro mocito grahat

SYNONYMS

tatrapi—in that period; jajne—appeared; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; harinyam—in the womb of Harini; harimedhasah—begotten by Harimedha; harih—Hari; iti—thus; ahrtah—called; yena—by whom; gaja-indrah—the King of the elephants; mocitah—was freed; grahat—from the mouth of a crocodile.

TRANSLATION

Also in this manvantara, the Supreme Lord, Visnu, took birth from the womb of Harini, the wife of Harimedha, and He was known as Hari. Hari saved His devotee Gajendra, the King of the elephants, from the mouth of a crocodile.

SB8.1.31

TEXT 31

sri-rajovaca

badarayana etat te

srotum icchamahe vayam

harir yatha gaja-patim

graha-grastam amumucat

SYNONYMS

sri-raja uvaca—King Pariksit said; badarayane—O son of Badarayana (Vyasadeva); etat—this; te—from you; srotum icchamahe—desire to hear; vayam—we; harih—the Lord Hari; yatha—the manner in which; gaja-patim—the King of the elephants; graha-grastam—when attacked by the crocodile; amumucat—delivered.

TRANSLATION

King Pariksit said: My lord, Badarayani, we wish to hear from you in detail how the King of the elephants, when attacked by a crocodile, was delivered by Hari.

SB8.1.32

TEXT 32

tat-kathasu mahat punyam

dhanyam svastyayanam subham

yatra yatrottamasloko

bhagavan giyate harih

SYNONYMS

tat-kathasu—in those narrations; mahat—great; punyam—pious; dhanyam—glorious; svastyayanam—auspicious; subham—all good; yatra—whenever; yatra—wherever; uttamaslokah—the Lord, who is known as Uttamasloka (He who is described by transcendental literature); bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; giyate—is glorified; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

Any literature or narration in which the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Uttamasloka, is described and glorified is certainly great, pure, glorious, auspicious and all good.

PURPORT

The Krsna consciousness movement is spreading all over the world simply by describing Krsna. We have published many books, including Sri Caitanya-caritamrta in seventeen volumes, four hundred pages each, as well as Bhagavad-gita and The Nectar of Devotion. We are also publishing Srimad-Bhagavatam in sixty volumes. Wherever a speaker holds discourses from these books and an audience hears him, this will create a good and auspicious situation. Therefore the preaching of Krsna consciousness must be done very carefully by the members of the Krsna consciousness movement, especially the sannyasis. This will create an auspicious atmosphere.

SB8.1.33

TEXT 33

sri-suta uvaca

pariksitaivam sa tu badarayanih

prayopavistena kathasu coditah

uvaca viprah pratinandya parthivam

muda muninam sadasi sma srnvatam

SYNONYMS

sri-sutah uvaca—Sri Suta Gosvami said; pariksita—by Maharaja Pariksit; evam—thus; sah—he; tu—indeed; badarayanih—Sukadeva Gosvami; praya-upavistena—Pariksit Maharaja, who was awaiting impending death; kathasu—by the words; coditah—being encouraged; uvaca—spoke; viprah—O brahmanas; pratinandya—after congratulating; parthivam—Maharaja Pariksit; muda—with great pleasure; muninam—of great sages; sadasi—in the assembly; sma—indeed; srnvatam—who desired to hear.

TRANSLATION

Sri Suta Gosvami said: O brahmanas, when Pariksit Maharaja, who was awaiting impending death, thus requested Sukadeva Gosvami to speak, Sukadeva Gosvami, encouraged by the King’s words, offered respect to the King and spoke with great pleasure in the assembly of sages, who desired to hear him.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, First Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “The Manus, Administrators of the Universe.”

Next chapter (SB 8.2)