FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.22

నరదేవత్వమాపన్న: సురకార్యచికీర్షయా । సముద్రనిగ్రహాదీని చక్రే వీర్యాణ్యత: పరమ్ ॥ ౨౨ ॥
nara-devatvam āpannaḥ
[nara-devatvam aapannah]
sura-kārya-cikīrṣayā
[sura-kaarya-chikeershayaa]
samudra-nigrahādīni
[samudra-nigrahaadeeni]
cakre vīryāṇy ataḥ param
[chakre veeryaany atah param]
nara — human being devatvam — divinity āpannaḥ — having assumed the form of sura — the demigods kārya — activities cikīrṣayā — for the purpose of performing samudra — the Indian Ocean nigraha-ādīni — controlling, etc. cakre — did perform vīryāṇi — superhuman prowess ataḥ param — thereafter.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nara-devatvam āpannaḥ
nara
human being
devatvam
divinity
āpannaḥ
having assumed the form of
sura-kārya-cikīrṣayā
sura
the demigods
kārya
activities
cikīrṣayā
for the purpose of performing
samudra-nigrahādīni
samudra
the Indian Ocean
nigraha-ādīni
controlling, etc.
cakre vīryāṇy ataḥ param
cakre
did perform
vīryāṇi
superhuman prowess
ataḥ param
thereafter.
In the eighteenth incarnation, the Lord appeared as King Rāma. In order to perform some pleasing work for the demigods, He exhibited superhuman powers by controlling the Indian Ocean and then killing the atheist King Rāvaṇa, who was on the other side of the sea.

The Personality of Godhead Śrī Rāma assumed the form of a human being and appeared on the earth for the purpose of doing some pleasing work for the demigods or the administrative personalities to maintain the order of the universe. Sometimes great demons and atheists like Rāvaṇa and Hiraṇyakaśipu and many others become very famous due to advancing material civilization by the help of material science and other activities with a spirit of challenging the established order of the Lord. For example, the attempt to fly to other planets by material means is a challenge to the established order. The conditions of each and every planet are different, and different classes of human beings are accommodated there for particular purposes mentioned in the codes of the Lord. But, puffed up by tiny success in material advancement, sometimes the godless materialists challenge the existence of God. Rāvaṇa was one of them, and he wanted to deport ordinary men to the planet of Indra (heaven) by material means without consideration of the necessary qualifications. He wanted a staircase to be built up directly reaching the heavenly planet so that people might not be required to undergo the routine of pious work necessary to enter that planet. He also wanted to perform other acts against the established rule of the Lord. He even challenged the authority of Śrī Rāma, the Personality of Godhead, and kidnapped His wife, Sītā. Of course, Lord Rāma came to chastise this atheist, answering the prayer and desire of the demigods. He therefore took up the challenge of Rāvaṇa, and the complete activity is the subject matter of the Rāmāyaṇa. Because Lord Rāmacandra was the Personality of Godhead, He exhibited superhuman activities which no human being, including the materially advanced Rāvaṇa, could perform. Lord Rāmacandra prepared a royal road on the Indian Ocean with stones that floated on the water. The modern scientists have done research in the area of weightlessness, but it is not possible to bring in weightlessness anywhere and everywhere. But because weightlessness is the creation of the Lord by which He can make the gigantic planets fly and float in the air, He made the stones even within this earth to be weightless and prepared a stone bridge on the sea without any supporting pillar. That is the display of the power of God.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The Lord, taking the divine human form of Rāma, performed brave actions such as controlling the ocean with a desire to help the devatās.
Commentary

Nara-devatvam refers to Rāma. Taking the form of Rāma, he performed actions such as controlling the ocean. Since this can be seen even today at Setubandha, it indicates his show of great power. Thus it is mentioned here as the chief among all his activities.

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