Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.17.25
तस्मिन् प्रविष्टे वरुणस्य सैनिका
यादोगणा: सन्नधिय: ससाध्वसा: ।
अहन्यमाना अपि तस्य वर्चसा
प्रधर्षिता दूरतरं प्रदुद्रुवु: ॥ २५ ॥
tasmin praviṣṭe varuṇasya sainikā
[tasmin pravishte varunasya sainikaa]
yādo-gaṇāḥ sanna-dhiyaḥ sasādhvasāḥ
[yaado-ganaah sanna-dhiyah sasaadhvasaah]
ahanyamānā api tasya varcasā
[ahanyamaanaa api tasya varchasaa]
pradharṣitā dūrataraṁ pradudruvuḥ
[pradharshitaa doorataram pradudruvuh]
Word-for-word
tasmin praviṣṭe
—
when he entered the ocean
varuṇasya
—
of Varuṇa
sainikāḥ
—
the defenders
yādaḥ-gaṇāḥ
—
the aquatic animals
sanna-dhiyaḥ
—
depressed
sa-sādhvasāḥ
—
with fear
ahanyamānāḥ
—
not being hit
api
—
even
tasya
—
his
varcasā
—
by splendor
pradharṣitāḥ
—
stricken
dūra-taram
—
far away
pradudruvuḥ
—
they ran fast.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasmin praviṣṭe varuṇasya sainikā
tasmin praviṣṭe
when he entered the ocean
varuṇasya
of Varuṇa
sainikāḥ
the defenders
yādo-gaṇāḥ sanna-dhiyaḥ sasādhvasāḥ
yādaḥ-gaṇāḥ
the aquatic animals
sanna-dhiyaḥ
depressed
sa-sādhvasāḥ
with fear
ahanyamānāḥ
not being hit
ahanyamānā api tasya varcasā
api
even
tasya
his
varcasā
by splendor
pradharṣitā dūrataraṁ pradudruvuḥ
pradharṣitāḥ
stricken
dūra-taram
far away
pradudruvuḥ
they ran fast.
On his entering the ocean, the aquatic animals who formed the host of Varuṇa were stricken with fear and ran far away. Thus Hiraṇyākṣa showed his splendor without dealing a blow.
Purport
Materialistic demons sometimes appear to be very powerful and are seen to establish their supremacy throughout the world. Here also it appears that Hiraṇyākṣa, by his demoniac strength, actually established his supremacy throughout the universe, and the demigods were afraid of his uncommon power. Not only were the demigods in space afraid of the demons Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa, but so also were the aquatic animals within the sea.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
When he entered the ocean, the aquatics, the troops of Varuṇa, depressed and fearful, defeated by his strength without even being struck, ran far away.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The verse describes a universe that is not a random stage but an arrangement with a purpose. Our work is not to engineer that purpose but to find our seat within it.
Reflection Questions
- Where have you been demanding outcomes from a system you did not design?
- How could awe of the creation become a daily practice and not just a Sunday feeling?
My note
Source: vedabase.io