Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.7.21
श्रीप्रजापतय ऊचु:
देवदेव महादेव भूतात्मन् भूतभावन ।
त्राहि न: शरणापन्नांस्त्रैलोक्यदहनाद् विषात् ॥ २१ ॥
śrī-prajāpataya ūcuḥ
[shree-prajaapataya oochuh]
deva-deva mahā-deva
[deva-deva mahaa-deva]
bhūtātman bhūta-bhāvana
[bhootaatman bhoota-bhaavana]
trāhi naḥ śaraṇāpannāṁs
[traahi nah sharanaapannaams]
trailokya-dahanād viṣāt
[trailokya-dahanaad vishaat]
Word-for-word
śrī-prajāpatayaḥ ūcuḥ
—
the prajāpatis said
deva-deva
—
O Lord Mahādeva, best of the demigods
mahā-deva
—
O great demigod
bhūta-ātman
—
O life and soul of everyone in this world
bhūta-bhāvana
—
O the cause of the happiness and flourishing of all of them
trāhi
—
deliver
naḥ
—
us
śaraṇa-āpannān
—
who have taken shelter at your lotus feet
trailokya
—
of the three worlds
dahanāt
—
which is causing the burning
viṣāt
—
from this poison.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-prajāpataya ūcuḥ
śrī-prajāpatayaḥ ūcuḥ
the prajāpatis said
deva-deva mahā-deva
deva-deva
O Lord Mahādeva, best of the demigods
mahā-deva
O great demigod
bhūtātman bhūta-bhāvana
bhūta-ātman
O life and soul of everyone in this world
bhūta-bhāvana
O the cause of the happiness and flourishing of all of them
trāhi naḥ śaraṇāpannāṁs
trāhi
deliver
naḥ
us
śaraṇa-āpannān
who have taken shelter at your lotus feet
trailokya-dahanād viṣāt
trailokya
of the three worlds
dahanāt
which is causing the burning
viṣāt
from this poison.
The prajāpatis said: O greatest of all demigods, Mahādeva, Supersoul of all living entities and cause of their happiness and prosperity, we have come to the shelter of your lotus feet. Now please save us from this fiery poison, which is spreading all over the three worlds.
Purport
Since Lord Śiva is in charge of annihilation, why should he be approached for protection, which is given by Lord Viṣṇu? Lord Brahmā creates, and Lord Śiva annihilates, but both Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva are incarnations of Lord Viṣṇu and are known as śaktyāveśa-avatāras. They are endowed with a special power like that of Lord Viṣṇu, who is actually all-pervading in their activities. Therefore whenever prayers for protection are offered to Lord Śiva, actually Lord Viṣṇu is indicated, for otherwise Lord Śiva is meant for destruction. Lord Śiva is one of the īśvaras, or the controllers known as śaktyāveśa-avatāras. Therefore he can be addressed as having the qualities of Lord Viṣṇu.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
The Prajāpatis said: O greatest of all devatās, Mahādeva! Soul of all living entities! Protector of all beings! Deliver us, who have come here in surrender, from the poison which is burning the three worlds.
O Śiva! Save us! “Śiva does not save, but destroys, since he is the avatāra of destruction.” But you give consciousness to all beings (bhūtātman) and you protect all beings (bhūta-bhāvana).
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The prajāpatis cried out to Śiva to save the world from the spreading poison. When poison spreads beyond what we can contain, we go to one whose throat is strong enough. Knowing whom to ask is half of being saved.
Reflection Questions
- What spreading 'poison' in my life requires me to admit I cannot contain it alone?
- Whose shelter — within bhakti tradition — am I avoiding out of pride?
My note
Source: vedabase.io