FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.26.43

क्लेदनं पिण्डनं तृप्ति: प्राणनाप्यायनोन्दनम् । तापापनोदो भूयस्त्वमम्भसो वृत्तयस्त्विमा: ॥ ४३ ॥
kledanaṁ piṇḍanaṁ tṛptiḥ
[kledanam pindanam triptih]
prāṇanāpyāyanondanam
[praananaapyaayanondanam]
tāpāpanodo bhūyastvam
[taapaapanodo bhooyastvam]
ambhaso vṛttayas tv imāḥ
[ambhaso vrittayas tv imaah]
kledanam — moistening piṇḍanam — coagulating tṛptiḥ — causing satisfaction prāṇana — maintaining life āpyāyana — refreshing undanam — softening tāpa — heat apanodaḥ — driving away bhūyastvam — being in abundance ambhasaḥ — of water vṛttayaḥ — the characteristic functions tu — in fact imāḥ — these.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kledanaṁ piṇḍanaṁ tṛptiḥ
kledanam
moistening
piṇḍanam
coagulating
tṛptiḥ
causing satisfaction
prāṇanāpyāyanondanam
prāṇana
maintaining life
āpyāyana
refreshing
undanam
softening
tāpāpanodo bhūyastvam
tāpa
heat
apanodaḥ
driving away
bhūyastvam
being in abundance
ambhaso vṛttayas tv imāḥ
ambhasaḥ
of water
vṛttayaḥ
the characteristic functions
tu
in fact
imāḥ
these.
The characteristics of water are exhibited by its moistening other substances, coagulating various mixtures, causing satisfaction, maintaining life, softening things, driving away heat, incessantly supplying itself to reservoirs of water, and refreshing by slaking thirst.

Starvation can be mitigated by drinking water. It is sometimes found that if a person who has taken a vow to fast takes a little water at intervals, the exhaustion of fasting is at once mitigated. In the Vedas it is also stated, āpomayaḥ prāṇaḥ: “Life depends on water.” With water, anything can be moistened or dampened. Flour dough can be prepared with a mixture of water. Mud is made by mixing earth with water. As stated in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, water is the cementing ingredient of different material elements. If we build a house, water is actually the constituent in making the bricks. Fire, water and air are the exchanging elements for the entire material manifestation, but water is most prominent. Also, excessive heat can be reduced simply by pouring water on the heated field.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The qualities of water are moistening, making balls, causing satisfaction, giving life, relieving thirst, softening, extinguishing heat, and being plentiful. The qualities of water are described. It is moistening, causes formation of a globe, and gives satisfaction. It gives life (prāṇana). Śruti says āpomayaḥ prāṇāḥ: life consists of water. It relieves thirst (āpyāyana). It makes things soft (undanam or udanam). It is plentiful. One can go again and again to a well to take water.
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
  • 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

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