FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.18.6

स तुद्यमानोऽरिदुरुक्ततोमरै- र्दंष्ट्राग्रगां गामुपलक्ष्य भीताम् । तोदं मृषन्निरगादम्बुमध्याद् ग्राहाहत: सकरेणुर्यथेभ: ॥ ६ ॥
sa tudyamāno ’ri-durukta-tomarair
[sa tudyamaano ’ri-durukta-tomarair]
daṁṣṭrāgra-gāṁ gām upalakṣya bhītām
[damshtraagra-gaam gaam upalakshya bheetaam]
todaṁ mṛṣan niragād ambu-madhyād
[todam mrishan niragaad ambu-madhyaad]
grāhāhataḥ sa-kareṇur yathebhaḥ
[graahaahatah sa-karenur yathebhah]
saḥ — He tudyamānaḥ — being pained ari — of the enemy durukta — by the abusive words tomaraiḥ — by the weapons daṁṣṭra-agra — on the ends of His tusks gām — situated gām — the earth upalakṣya — seeing bhītām — frightened todam — the pain mṛṣan — bearing niragāt — He came out ambu-madhyāt — from the midst of the water grāha — by a crocodile āhataḥ — attacked sa-kareṇuḥ — along with a she-elephant yathā — as ibhaḥ — an elephant.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa tudyamāno ’ri-durukta-tomarair
saḥ
He
tudyamānaḥ
being pained
ari
of the enemy
durukta
by the abusive words
daṁṣṭrāgra-gāṁ gām upalakṣya bhītām
todaṁ mṛṣan niragād ambu-madhyād
tomaraiḥ
by the weapons
daṁṣṭra-agra
on the ends of His tusks
gām
situated
gām
the earth
upalakṣya
seeing
grāhāhataḥ sa-kareṇur yathebhaḥ
bhītām
frightened
todam
the pain
mṛṣan
bearing
niragāt
He came out
ambu-madhyāt
from the midst of the water
grāha
by a crocodile
āhataḥ
attacked
sa-kareṇuḥ
along with a she-elephant
yathā
as
ibhaḥ
an elephant.
Although the Lord was pained by the shaftlike abusive words of the demon, He bore the pain. But seeing that the earth on the ends of His tusks was frightened, He rose out of the water just as an elephant emerges with its female companion when assailed by an alligator.

The Māyāvādī philosopher cannot understand that the Lord has feelings. The Lord is satisfied if someone offers Him a nice prayer, and similarly, God is dissatisfied if someone decries His existence or calls Him by ill names. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is decried by the Māyāvādī philosophers, who are almost demons. They say that God has no head, no form, no existence and no legs, hands or other bodily limbs. In other words, they say that He is dead or lame. All these misconceptions of the Supreme Lord are a source of dissatisfaction to Him; He is never pleased with such atheistic descriptions. In this case, although the Lord felt sorrow from the piercing words of the demon, He delivered the earth for the satisfaction of the demigods, who are ever His devotees. The conclusion is that God is as sentient as we are. He is satisfied by our prayers and dissatisfied by our harsh words against Him. In order to give protection to His devotee, He is always ready to tolerate insulting words from the atheists.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Though assailed by the lances of the enemy’s abusive words, the Lord, seeing the frightened earth perched on the ends of his tusks, bore the insults, and emerged from the water, like an elephant attacked by a crocodile. The Lord was assailed by the abusive, lance-like words of the enemy. He bore the pain of the enemy’s abusive words. He was like an elephant attacked by a crocodile. The other meaning is “The Lord was pained by compassion, seeing the pain in Brahmā and others who heard those words. He was victorious by the happiness gained through the praise uttered by the enemy. He was like an elephant emerging from the water, uninjured by a crocodile.”
The verse insists on the Lord's specific identity — not an idea of God but a person with name, form, and intent. Vague spirituality cannot reach what only personal address can. The verse keeps returning to Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • Whom do you actually address when you pray — a concept, or a person?
  • How does relating to a person, rather than a principle, change how you speak in prayer?
📝 My note

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