FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.8.16

स विक्रमन् पुत्रवधेप्सुरोजसा निशम्य निर्ह्रादमपूर्वमद्भ‍ुतम् । अन्त:सभायां न ददर्श तत्पदं वितत्रसुर्येन सुरारियूथपा: ॥ १६ ॥
sa vikraman putra-vadhepsur ojasā
[sa vikraman putra-vadhepsur ojasaa]
niśamya nirhrādam apūrvam adbhutam
[nishamya nirhraadam apoorvam adbhutam]
antaḥ-sabhāyāṁ na dadarśa tat-padaṁ
[antah-sabhaayaam na dadarsha tat-padam]
vitatrasur yena surāri-yūtha-pāḥ
[vitatrasur yena suraari-yootha-paah]
Word-for-word
saḥ — he (Hiraṇyakaśipu) vikraman — exhibiting his prowess putra-vadha-īpsuḥ — desirous of killing his own son ojasā — with great strength niśamya — hearing nirhrādam — the fierce sound apūrvam — never heard before adbhutam — very wonderful antaḥ-sabhāyām — within the jurisdiction of the great assembly na — not dadarśa — saw tat-padam — the source of that tumultuous sound vitatrasuḥ — became afraid yena — by which sound sura-ari-yūtha-pāḥ — the other leaders of the demons (not only Hiraṇyakaśipu).
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa vikraman putra-vadhepsur ojasā
saḥ
he (Hiraṇyakaśipu)
vikraman
exhibiting his prowess
putra-vadha-īpsuḥ
desirous of killing his own son
ojasā
with great strength
niśamya nirhrādam apūrvam adbhutam
niśamya
hearing
nirhrādam
the fierce sound
apūrvam
never heard before
adbhutam
very wonderful
antaḥ-sabhāyāṁ na dadarśa tat-padaṁ
antaḥ-sabhāyām
within the jurisdiction of the great assembly
na
not
dadarśa
saw
tat-padam
the source of that tumultuous sound
vitatrasur yena surāri-yūtha-pāḥ
vitatrasuḥ
became afraid
yena
by which sound
sura-ari-yūtha-pāḥ
the other leaders of the demons (not only Hiraṇyakaśipu).
While showing his extraordinary prowess, Hiraṇyakaśipu, who desired to kill his own son, heard that wonderful, tumultuous sound, which had never before been heard. Upon hearing the sound, the other leaders of the demons were afraid. None of them could find the origin of that sound in the assembly.
Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (7.8) , Kṛṣṇa explains Himself by saying:

raso ’ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi sūryayoḥ praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu

“O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.” Here the Lord exhibited His presence everywhere by the tumultuous sound in the sky ( śabdaḥ khe ). The tumultuous thundering sound was proof of the Lord’s presence. The demons like Hiraṇyakaśipu could now realize the supreme ruling power of the Lord, and thus Hiraṇyakaśipu became afraid. However powerful a man may be, he always fears the sound of a thunderbolt. Similarly, Hiraṇyakaśipu and all the demons who were his associates were extremely afraid because of the presence of the Supreme Lord in the form of sound, although they could not trace out the source of the sound.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
While showing his extraordinary prowess, Hiraṇyakaśipu, who desired to kill his own son, heard that astonishing, tumultuous sound which had never before been heard. Upon hearing the sound, the other leaders of the demons became frightened and could not see the origin of that sound in the assembly. They could not see the source of that sound (tat-padam).
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The tumultuous sound shocks Hiraṇyakaśipu and his demon court; none can find its origin. The Lord can be present as sound in space before He is present in form. Sometimes the first sign of divine presence is something heard, not seen.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'sound from nowhere' in your life pointed toward a presence that arrived only later?
  • How could you listen for such announcements more attentively?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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