Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 2

Prahlāda’s Prayers Pacify Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva

Prahlāda-stuti and the Lord’s Benediction Offer

Devanagari script

साक्षात् श्री: प्रेषिता देवैर्द‍ृष्ट्वा तं महदद्भ‍ुतम् । अदृष्टाश्रुतपूर्वत्वात् सा नोपेयाय शङ्किता ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

sākṣāt śrīḥ preṣitā devair dṛṣṭvā taṁ mahad adbhutam adṛṣṭāśruta-pūrvatvāt sā nopeyāya śaṅkitā

Translation

The goddess of fortune, Lakṣmījī, was requested to go before the Lord by all the demigods present, who because of fear could not do so. But even she had never seen such a wonderful and extraordinary form of the Lord, and thus she could not approach Him.

Synonyms

• sākṣāt: directly, in person
• sākṣāt: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb ‘directly/in person’

• śrīḥ: Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• śrīḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• preṣitā: sent
• preṣitā: Predicate participle
• Type: Verb
• Root: preṣ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Strīliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana; agrees with 'śrīḥ'

• devaiḥ: by the gods
• devaiḥ: Karaṇa / Agent-in-passive (करण/कर्तृ-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Bahuvacana

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having seen’

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• mahat: great
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of implied 'adbhutam' (or of the sight)

• adbhutam: wonderful (sight)
• adbhutam: Karma (object of dṛṣṭvā) / viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• adṛṣṭāśruta-pūrvatvāt: because it had never been seen or heard before
• adṛṣṭāśruta-pūrvatvāt: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adṛṣṭa + aśruta + pūrvatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative/5th), Ekavacana; hetu-artha (cause): ‘because of being previously unseen and unheard-of’

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana; refers to Śrī

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; niṣedha (negation)

• upeyāya: approached
• upeyāya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-i (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; ‘approached’

• śaṅkitā: being afraid, apprehensive
• śaṅkitā: Bhāva (भाव/state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śaṅk (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Strīliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana; predicate of 'sā'

Purport

The Lord has unlimited forms and bodily features ( advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ). These are all situated in Vaikuṇṭha, yet Lakṣmīdevī, the goddess of fortune, being inspired by līlā-śakti, could not appreciate this unprecedented form of the Lord. In this regard, Śrīla Madhvācārya recites the following verses from the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa:

Characters & Entities

• Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• Devas (demigods)
• Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva

FAQs

Why did Lakshmi (Śrī) hesitate to approach Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva in the Bhagavatam?

Because His form as Nṛsiṁhadeva was unprecedented—never before seen or heard of—and its overwhelming, awe-inspiring mood made her apprehensive to come near.

Who is speaking this verse in Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.2?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, describing the demigods’ reaction after Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared.

What is the practical lesson of this verse for devotees today?

Even exalted beings may feel awe before the Lord’s majesty; a devotee can learn to approach God with humility, reverence, and dependence on sincere devotion rather than confidence in status.