SB 3.17.4 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.17.4

सहाचला भुवश्चेलुर्दिश: सर्वा: प्रजज्वलु: । सोल्काश्चाशनय: पेतु: केतवश्चार्तिहेतव: ॥ ४ ॥

sahācalā bhuvaś celur

[sahaachalaa bhuvash chelur]

diśaḥ sarvāḥ prajajvaluḥ

[dishah sarvaah prajajvaluh]

solkāś cāśanayaḥ petuḥ

[solkaash chaashanayah petuh]

ketavaś cārti-hetavaḥ

[ketavash chaarti-hetavah]

Word-for-word

saha — along with acalāḥ — the mountains bhuvaḥ — of the earth celuḥ — shook diśaḥ — directions sarvāḥ — all prajajvaluḥ — blazed like fire sa — with ulkāḥ — meteors ca — and aśanayaḥ — thunderbolts petuḥ — fell ketavaḥ — comets ca — and ārti-hetavaḥ — the cause of all inauspiciousness.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

sahācalā bhuvaś celur

saha

along with

acalāḥ

the mountains

bhuvaḥ

of the earth

celuḥ

shook

diśaḥ sarvāḥ prajajvaluḥ

diśaḥ

directions

sarvāḥ

all

prajajvaluḥ

blazed like fire

solkāś cāśanayaḥ petuḥ

with

ulkāḥ

meteors

ketavaś cārti-hetavaḥ

and

aśanayaḥ

thunderbolts

petuḥ

fell

ketavaḥ

comets

and

ārti-hetavaḥ

the cause of all inauspiciousness.

There were earthquakes along the mountains on the earth, and it appeared that there was fire everywhere. Many inauspicious planets like Saturn appeared, along with comets, meteors and thunderbolts.

Purport

When natural disturbances occur on a planet, one should understand that a demon must have taken birth there. In the present age the number of demoniac people is increasing; therefore natural disturbances are also increasing. There is no doubt about this, as we can understand from the statements of the Bhāgavatam.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

The earth and its mountains shook. All the directions were afire. Thunderbolts and meteors fell. Comets, a cause of disaster, appeared. The verb “appeared” should be added after ketavaḥ.

Personal Guidance

The verse describes layered cosmic machinery — modes, elements, governing demigods — to remind us that even our 'private' lives are arranged by larger hands.

Reflection Questions

How does it change your day to remember the universe was not built around your preferences?
How could awe of the creation become a daily practice and not just a Sunday feeling?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io