Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 32

Matsya-avatāra: The Lord as Fish Saves the Vedas and Guides Satyavrata

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच सप्तमे ह्यद्यतनादूर्ध्वमहन्येतदरिंदम । निमङ्‌क्ष्यत्यप्ययाम्भोधौ त्रैलोक्यं भूर्भुवादिकम् ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-bhagavān uvāca saptame hy adyatanād ūrdhvam ahany etad arindama nimaṅkṣyaty apyayāmbhodhau trailokyaṁ bhūr-bhuvādikam

Translation

Der Höchste Herr sprach: O König, der du deine Feinde bezwingst, am siebten Tag von heute an werden die drei Welten—Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ und Svaḥ—im Wasser der Flut versinken und darin aufgehen.

Synonyms

• śrī-bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• śrī-bhagavān: Karta (speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom.), Ekavacana; honorific karmadhāraya

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• saptame: on the seventh
• saptame: Adhikaraṇa (time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saptama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga/napuṁsaka, Saptamī (Loc.), Ekavacana; ordinal used with ahani

• hi: indeed
• hi: Nipāta
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphasis particle

• adyatanāt: from today
• adyatanāt: Apādāna (अपादान) / from (time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adyatana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka, Pañcamī (Ablative/5th), Ekavacana

• ūrdhvam: afterwards
• ūrdhvam: Kāla/Prakāra (time-manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb ‘upwards/after’

• ahani: on the day
• ahani: Adhikaraṇa (time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahan (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Napुṁsaka, Saptamī (Loc.), Ekavacana

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka, Prathamā (Nom.), Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• arindama: O subduer of enemies
• arindama: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: arindama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Sambodhana (Voc.), Ekavacana; epithet

• nimaṅkṣyati: will submerge
• nimaṅkṣyati: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-majj (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ lakāra (Periphrastic Future/लुट्), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• apyaya-ambhodhau: in the ocean of dissolution
• apyaya-ambhodhau: Adhikaraṇa (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apyaya (प्रातिपदिक) + ambhodhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Saptamī (Loc.), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: apyaye ambhodhau / apyayasya ambhodhau

• trailokyam: the three worlds
• trailokyam: Karma (object) of nimaṅkṣyati
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka, Dvitīyā (Acc.), Ekavacana; dvigu: triṇāṁ lokānāṁ samāhāraḥ

• bhūḥ-bhuva-ādikam: beginning with Bhū and Bhuva (etc.)
• bhūḥ-bhuva-ādikam: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuvaḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka, Dvitīyā (Acc.), Ekavacana; dvandva (enumerative) with ādika ‘etc.’; qualifies trailokyam

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Bhagavān
• Manu (Satyavrata)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about pralaya (cosmic dissolution)?

This verse states that after seven days from the Lord’s warning, the three worlds—beginning with Bhūḥ and Bhuvaḥ—will be submerged in the waters of dissolution, indicating the Lord’s control over cosmic time and annihilation.

Why did Lord Matsya warn Manu about the flood in Canto 8 Chapter 24?

The Lord warns Manu so he can prepare to protect the sages, seeds of life, and the Vedic knowledge during pralaya, showing divine guidance for preserving dharma through cosmic upheaval.

Practical application of remembering pralaya in modern life?

The certainty of change and dissolution encourages detachment, urgency in spiritual practice, and taking shelter of the Lord—prioritizing bhakti and dharma over temporary material security.