FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.8.10

उदाप्लुतं विश्वमिदं तदासीद् यन्निद्रयामीलितद‍ृङ् न्यमीलयत् । अहीन्द्रतल्पेऽधिशयान एक: कृतक्षण: स्वात्मरतौ निरीह: ॥ १० ॥
udāplutaṁ viśvam idaṁ tadāsīd
[udaaplutam vishvam idam tadaaseed]
yan nidrayāmīlita-dṛṅ nyamīlayat
[yan nidrayaameelita-drin nyameelayat]
ahīndra-talpe ’dhiśayāna ekaḥ
[aheendra-talpe ’dhishayaana ekah]
kṛta-kṣaṇaḥ svātma-ratau nirīhaḥ
[krita-kshanah svaatma-ratau nireehah]
Word-for-word
uda — water āplutam — submerged in viśvam — the three worlds idam — this tadā — at that time āsīt — it so remained yat — in which nidrayā — in slumber amīlita — closed dṛk — eyes nyamīlayat — not completely closed ahi-indra — the great snake Ananta talpe — on the bed of adhiśayānaḥ — lying on ekaḥ — alone kṛta-kṣaṇaḥ — being engaged sva-ātma-ratau — enjoying in His internal potency nirīhaḥ — without any part of external energy.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
udāplutaṁ viśvam idaṁ tadāsīd
uda
water
āplutam
submerged in
viśvam
the three worlds
idam
this
tadā
at that time
āsīt
it so remained
yan nidrayāmīlita-dṛṅ nyamīlayat
yat
in which
nidrayā
in slumber
amīlita
closed
dṛk
eyes
nyamīlayat
not completely closed
ahīndra-talpe ’dhiśayāna ekaḥ
ahi-indra
the great snake Ananta
talpe
on the bed of
adhiśayānaḥ
lying on
ekaḥ
alone
kṛta-kṣaṇaḥ svātma-ratau nirīhaḥ
kṛta-kṣaṇaḥ
being engaged
sva-ātma-ratau
enjoying in His internal potency
nirīhaḥ
without any part of external energy.
At that time when the three worlds were submerged in water, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu was alone, lying on His bedstead, the great snake Ananta, and although He appeared to be in slumber in His own internal potency, free from the action of the external energy, His eyes were not completely closed.
Purport

The Lord is eternally enjoying transcendental bliss by His internal potency, whereas the external potency is suspended during the time of the dissolution of the cosmic manifestation.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The universe lay in the water of devastation when Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, full of his cit-śakti, with Śeṣa as his bed, enjoying with his svarūpa-śakti and having given up glancing at māyā, lay with his eyes closed. Having showed how the Bhāgavatam started from Saṅkarṣaṇa, Maitreya now begins the story. The universe remained submerged in one body of water when Nārāyaṇa, Garbhodakaśāyī, whose eyes do not close (amīlita-dṛk), since his cit-ṣakti was very active, had his eye s closed at the time of periodic destruction (the night of Brahmā). He was enjoying with his svarūpa-śakti (svātma-ratau), having given up glancing at māyā (nirīhaḥ). Talpe stands for talpaḥ (who has a snake bed).
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The cosmology here is not abstract scenery — it locates the reader inside a vast, intelligent order. Seeing your tiny role in this design quietly cools the urge to make yourself the centre. The verse keeps returning to cosmic manifestation.
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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