Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 16
Mārkaṇḍeya’s Request to See Māyā and the Vision of the Cosmic Deluge
क्षुत्तृट्परीतो मकरैस्तिमिङ्गिलै- रुपद्रुतो वीचिनभस्वता हत: । तमस्यपारे पतितो भ्रमन् दिशो न वेद खं गां च परिश्रमेषित: ॥ १६ ॥
kṣut-tṛṭ-parīto makarais timiṅgilair upadruto vīci-nabhasvatāhataḥ tamasy apāre patito bhraman diśo na veda khaṁ gāṁ ca pariśrameṣitaḥ
Tourmenté par la faim et la soif, assailli par les makaras et les poissons timiṅgila, et battu par le vent et les vagues, il tomba dans une obscurité sans rive. Épuisé, il erra sans direction, ne distinguant plus le ciel de la terre.
FAQs
This verse depicts conditioned life like an ocean where hunger, thirst, fear, and external forces batter the soul until one becomes disoriented—showing the need for a higher shelter beyond material struggle.
Śukadeva is warning Parīkṣit about the crushing condition of life in Kali-yuga and the helplessness of the jīva when dependent on material supports, reinforcing the urgency of taking refuge in devotion to the Lord.
Recognize how constant anxiety and craving can make life feel directionless, and consciously seek steadiness through sādhana—hearing scripture, chanting, and living with spiritual priorities rather than being driven by survival-fear alone.