FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.7.32

कामाध्वरत्रिपुरकालगराद्यनेक- भूतद्रुह: क्षपयत: स्तुतये न तत् ते । यस्त्वन्तकाल इदमात्मकृतं स्वनेत्र- वह्निस्फुलिङ्गशिखया भसितं न वेद ॥ ३२ ॥
kāmādhvara-tripura-kālagarādy-aneka-
[kaamaadhvara-tripura-kaalagaraady-aneka-]
bhūta-druhaḥ kṣapayataḥ stutaye na tat te
[bhoota-druhah kshapayatah stutaye na tat te]
yas tv anta-kāla idam ātma-kṛtaṁ sva-netra-
[yas tv anta-kaala idam aatma-kritam sva-netra-]
vahni-sphuliṅga-śikhayā bhasitaṁ na veda
[vahni-sphulinga-shikhayaa bhasitam na veda]
kāma-adhvara — sacrifices for sense gratification (like Dakṣa-yajña, the sacrifices performed by Dakṣa) tripura — the demon named Tripurāsura kālagara — Kālagara ādi — and others aneka — many bhūta-druhaḥ — who are meant for giving trouble to the living entities kṣapayataḥ — being engaged in their destruction stutaye — your prayer na — not tat — that te — speaking to you yaḥ tu — because anta-kāle — at the time of annihilation idam — in this material world ātma-kṛtam — done by yourself sva-netra — by your eyes vahni-sphuliṅga-śikhayā — by the sparks of fire bhasitam — burned to ashes na veda — I do not know how it is happening.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kāmādhvara-tripura-kālagarādy-aneka-
kāma-adhvara
sacrifices for sense gratification (like Dakṣa-yajña, the sacrifices performed by Dakṣa)
tripura
the demon named Tripurāsura
kālagara
Kālagara
ādi
and others
aneka
many
bhūta-druhaḥ kṣapayataḥ stutaye na tat te
bhūta-druhaḥ
who are meant for giving trouble to the living entities
kṣapayataḥ
being engaged in their destruction
stutaye
your prayer
na
not
tat
that
te
speaking to you
yas tv anta-kāla idam ātma-kṛtaṁ sva-netra-
yaḥ tu
because
anta-kāle
at the time of annihilation
idam
in this material world
ātma-kṛtam
done by yourself
sva-netra
by your eyes
vahni-sphuliṅga-śikhayā bhasitaṁ na veda
vahni-sphuliṅga-śikhayā
by the sparks of fire
bhasitam
burned to ashes
na veda
I do not know how it is happening.
When annihilation is performed by the flames and sparks emanating from your eyes, the entire creation is burned to ashes. Nonetheless, you do not know how this happens. What then is to be said of your destroying the Dakṣa-yajña, Tripurāsura and the kālakūṭa poison? Such activities cannot be subject matters for prayers offered to you.

Since Lord Śiva considers the great acts he performs to be very unimportant, what was to be said of counteracting the strong poison produced by the churning? The demigods indirectly prayed that Lord Śiva counteract the kālakūṭa poison, which was spreading throughout the universe.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Destroying the poison is nothing for you, who have destroyed many places of violence, such as Dakṣa’s sacrifice, the city of Tripura, and the demons Kāla and Gara. You are not even aware that the universe at the time of destruction turns to ashes by the sparks of fire emanating from your eye. It is not difficult for you to destroy the poison that is now present. The action of destroying this poison is not to be praised, since you destroy all the places where there is violence to living beings, such as Dakṣa’s animal sacrifice. This is too insignificant. Kāla and Gara were two demons that Śiva killed, but also this refers to the poison. It is mentioned in the past tense to express the fact that it is necessary to destroy it. You are not even aware that the universe is destroyed when you glance. Thus destroying this poison will be insignificant for you.
Lord Śiva considers destroying universes, demons, and poisons to be minor work — not worth praising. Real strength does not announce itself. Drinking hālahala will be casual for him. We praise what is hard for us; the great consider it nothing.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I making a big deal of effort that, in the proper scale, is small?
  • What would it look like to do my work with this same matter-of-fact strength?
📝 My note

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