FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.18.8

स गामुदस्तात्सलिलस्य गोचरे विन्यस्य तस्यामदधात्स्वसत्त्वम् । अभिष्टुतो विश्वसृजा प्रसूनै- रापूर्यमाणो विबुधै: पश्यतोऽरे: ॥ ८ ॥
sa gām udastāt salilasya gocare
[sa gaam udastaat salilasya gochare]
vinyasya tasyām adadhāt sva-sattvam
[vinyasya tasyaam adadhaat sva-sattvam]
abhiṣṭuto viśva-sṛjā prasūnair
[abhishtuto vishva-srijaa prasoonair]
āpūryamāṇo vibudhaiḥ paśyato ’reḥ
[aapooryamaano vibudhaih pashyato ’reh]
Word-for-word
saḥ — the Lord gām — the earth udastāt — on the surface salilasya — of the water gocare — within His sight vinyasya — having placed tasyām — to the earth adadhāt — He invested sva — His own sattvam — existence abhiṣṭutaḥ — praised viśva-sṛjā — by Brahmā (the creator of the universe) prasūnaiḥ — by flowers āpūryamāṇaḥ — becoming satisfied vibudhaiḥ — by the demigods paśyataḥ — while looking on areḥ — the enemy.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa gām udastāt salilasya gocare
saḥ
the Lord
gām
the earth
udastāt
on the surface
salilasya
of the water
gocare
within His sight
vinyasya tasyām adadhāt sva-sattvam
vinyasya
having placed
tasyām
to the earth
adadhāt
He invested
sva
His own
sattvam
existence
abhiṣṭuto viśva-sṛjā prasūnair
abhiṣṭutaḥ
praised
viśva-sṛjā
by Brahmā (the creator of the universe)
prasūnaiḥ
by flowers
āpūryamāṇo vibudhaiḥ paśyato ’reḥ
āpūryamāṇaḥ
becoming satisfied
vibudhaiḥ
by the demigods
paśyataḥ
while looking on
areḥ
the enemy.
The Lord placed the earth within His sight on the surface of the water and transferred to her His own energy in the form of the ability to float on the water. While the enemy stood looking on, Brahmā, the creator of the universe, extolled the Lord, and the other demigods rained flowers on Him.
Purport

Those who are demons cannot understand how the Supreme Personality of Godhead floated the earth on water, but to devotees of the Lord this is not a very wonderful act. Not only the earth but many, many millions of planets are floating in the air, and this floating power is endowed upon them by the Lord; there is no other possible explanation. The materialists can explain that the planets are floating by the law of gravitation, but the law of gravitation works under the control or direction of the Supreme Lord. That is the version of Bhagavad-gītā, which confirms, by the Lord’s statement, that behind the material laws or nature’s laws and behind the growth, maintenance, production and evolution of all the planetary systems — behind everything — is the Lord’s direction. The Lord’s activities could be appreciated only by the demigods, headed by Brahmā, and therefore when they saw the uncommon prowess of the Lord in keeping the earth on the surface of the water, they showered flowers on Him in appreciation of His transcendental activity.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Placing the earth on the water within his sight, the Lord invested her with his energy so that she did not sink in the water, while Brahmā uttered praise, the Prajāpatis showered flowers over him, and the enemy watched. “Since the earth is frightened it is not good that I fight with the demon.” Thus the Lord placed the earth upon the water within his sight and endowed her with his own energy (sva-sattvam), so that the earth would not sink in the water. He was praised by Brahmā. He was showered completely with flowers by the Prajāpatis (vibudhaiḥ), while the enemy watched. This indicates that the demon was not respected.
Related lectures
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. The verse anchors this in Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • What would change in your prayer if you remembered how small your sphere actually is?
  • How could awe of the creation become a daily practice and not just a Sunday feeling?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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