FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.12.1-2

श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच वृषध्वजो निशम्येदं योषिद्रूपेण दानवान् । मोहयित्वा सुरगणान्हरि: सोममपाययत् ॥ १ ॥ वृषमारुह्य गिरिश: सर्वभूतगणैर्वृत: । सह देव्या ययौ द्रष्टुं यत्रास्ते मधुसूदन: ॥ २ ॥
śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca
[shree-baadaraayanir uvaacha]
vṛṣa-dhvajo niśamyedaṁ
[vrisha-dhvajo nishamyedam]
yoṣid-rūpeṇa dānavān
[yoshid-roopena daanavaan]
mohayitvā sura-gaṇān
[mohayitvaa sura-ganaan]
hariḥ somam apāyayat
[harih somam apaayayat]
vṛṣam āruhya giriśaḥ
[vrisham aaruhya girishah]
sarva-bhūta-gaṇair vṛtaḥ
[sarva-bhoota-ganair vritah]
saha devyā yayau draṣṭuṁ
[saha devyaa yayau drashtum]
yatrāste madhusūdanaḥ
[yatraaste madhusoodanah]
śrī-bādarāyaṇiḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said vṛṣa-dhvajaḥ — Lord Śiva, who is carried by a bull niśamya — hearing idam — this (news) yoṣit-rūpeṇa — by assuming the form of a woman dānavān — the demons mohayitvā — enchanting sura-gaṇān — unto the demigods hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead somam — nectar apāyayat — caused to drink vṛṣam — the bull āruhya — mounting giriśaḥ — Lord Śiva sarva — all bhūta-gaṇaiḥ — by the ghosts vṛtaḥ — surrounded saha devyā — with Umā yayau — went draṣṭum — to see yatra — where āste — stays madhusūdanaḥ — Lord Viṣṇu.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca
śrī-bādarāyaṇiḥ uvāca
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
vṛṣa-dhvajo niśamyedaṁ
vṛṣa-dhvajaḥ
Lord Śiva, who is carried by a bull
niśamya
hearing
yoṣid-rūpeṇa dānavān
idam
this (news)
yoṣit-rūpeṇa
by assuming the form of a woman
dānavān
the demons
mohayitvā sura-gaṇān
mohayitvā
enchanting
sura-gaṇān
unto the demigods
hariḥ somam apāyayat
hariḥ
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
somam
nectar
apāyayat
caused to drink
vṛṣam āruhya giriśaḥ
vṛṣam
the bull
āruhya
mounting
giriśaḥ
Lord Śiva
sarva-bhūta-gaṇair vṛtaḥ
sarva
all
bhūta-gaṇaiḥ
by the ghosts
vṛtaḥ
surrounded
saha devyā yayau draṣṭuṁ
saha devyā
with Umā
yayau
went
draṣṭum
to see
yatrāste madhusūdanaḥ
yatra
where
āste
stays
madhusūdanaḥ
Lord Viṣṇu.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, in the form of a woman, captivated the demons and enabled the demigods to drink the nectar. After hearing of these pastimes, Lord Śiva, who is carried by a bull, went to the place where Madhusūdana, the Lord, resides. Accompanied by his wife, Umā, and surrounded by his companions, the ghosts, Lord Śiva went there to see the Lord’s form as a woman.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: hearing that the Lord in the form of a woman captivated the demons and enabled the devatās to drink the nectar, Śiva, accompanied by his wife and his attendants, went there to see this. In the Twelfth Chapter, in order to bewilder Śiva’s intelligence to the utmost since he did not think much of the Lord’s bewilderment of demons who were by nature overcome by illusion and were stupid, the Lord makes Śiva and his wife realize the extraordinary power of bewilderment of Mohinī, when he bewildered Śiva while his wife watched. Sommayā means “with Uma.”
Śiva, with Umā and the ghosts, went to see the Lord's Mohinī form. Even the topmost devotee has the curiosity to see what bewildered others. Wonder at the Lord's līlā is itself a sign of devotion, not a sign of weakness.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I dismiss my own curiosity about the Lord's pastimes as childish?
  • What 'form' of the Lord am I most drawn to see — and what does that draw say about me?
📝 My note

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