FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.3.2

स तेपे मन्दरद्रोण्यां तप: परमदारुणम् । ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्नभोद‍ृष्टि: पादाङ्गुष्ठाश्रितावनि: ॥ २ ॥
sa tepe mandara-droṇyāṁ
[sa tepe mandara-dronyaam]
tapaḥ parama-dāruṇam
[tapah parama-daarunam]
ūrdhva-bāhur nabho-dṛṣṭiḥ
[oordhva-baahur nabho-drishtih]
pādāṅguṣṭhāśritāvaniḥ
[paadaangushthaashritaavanih]
Word-for-word
saḥ — he (Hiraṇyakaśipu) tepe — performed mandara-droṇyām — in a valley of Mandara Hill tapaḥ — austerity parama — most dāruṇam — difficult ūrdhva — raising bāhuḥ — arms nabhaḥ — toward the sky dṛṣṭiḥ — his vision pāda-aṅguṣṭha — with the big toes of his feet āśrita — resting on avaniḥ — the ground.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa tepe mandara-droṇyāṁ
saḥ
he (Hiraṇyakaśipu)
tepe
performed
mandara-droṇyām
in a valley of Mandara Hill
tapaḥ parama-dāruṇam
tapaḥ
austerity
parama
most
dāruṇam
difficult
ūrdhva-bāhur nabho-dṛṣṭiḥ
ūrdhva
raising
bāhuḥ
arms
nabhaḥ
toward the sky
dṛṣṭiḥ
his vision
pādāṅguṣṭhāśritāvaniḥ
pāda-aṅguṣṭha
with the big toes of his feet
āśrita
resting on
avaniḥ
the ground.
In the valley of Mandara Hill, Hiraṇyakaśipu began performing his austerities by standing with his toes on the ground, keeping his arms upward and looking toward the sky. This position was extremely difficult, but he accepted it as a means to attain perfection.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Therefore, in a valley of Mandara mountain, Hiraṇyakaśipu began performing extreme austerities by standing with his toes on the ground, keeping his arms upward and looking toward the sky. Therefore he performed austerities.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
On Mandara Hill, Hiraṇyakaśipu stands on his toes with arms raised toward the sky — an almost impossible posture sustained for years. Tremendous willpower in a wrong direction is one of the most dangerous forces in the world. Discipline without right aim is a weapon.
Reflection Questions
  • Where is your willpower currently being spent in service of an unworthy aim?
  • What would change if even half that strength were directed toward devotional life?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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