Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 55

Deva–Asura Battle after the Nectar; Bali’s Illusions and Hari’s Intervention

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्प्रविष्टेऽसुरकूटकर्मजा माया विनेशुर्महिना महीयस: । स्वप्नो यथा हि प्रतिबोध आगते हरिस्मृति: सर्वविपद्विमोक्षणम् ॥ ५५ ॥

Transliteration

tasmin praviṣṭe ’sura-kūṭa-karmajā māyā vineśur mahinā mahīyasaḥ svapno yathā hi pratibodha āgate hari-smṛtiḥ sarva-vipad-vimokṣaṇam

Translation

Tatkala Tuhan Yang Maha Mulia memasuki medan perang, lenyaplah serta-merta māyā yang lahir daripada tipu muslihat para asura—seperti bahaya dalam mimpi hilang apabila seseorang terjaga. Sesungguhnya, mengingati Śrī Hari sahaja sudah membebaskan daripada segala bencana.

Synonyms

• tasmin: in him; when he
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun): ‘in him/when he’

• praviṣṭe: having entered (when he entered)
• praviṣṭe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (प्र-विश्-धातु)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त (past passive participle), सप्तमी एकवचन, पुं/नपुंस; लोके—सप्तमी-absolute (locative absolute): ‘(when) entered’

• asura-kūṭa-karma-jāḥ: born of the demons’ deceitful acts
• asura-kūṭa-karma-jāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक) + kūṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (जन्-धातु, क्तिन्/प्रातिपदिक-रूप ‘born’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘māyāḥ’)

• māyāḥ: illusory powers; illusions
• māyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• vineśuḥ: vanished; were destroyed
• vineśuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-naś (वि-नश्-धातु)
• Form: लिट्/लुङ्-सम्भाव्य; अत्र—लिट् (perfect) परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन: ‘perished/vanished’ (काव्ये)

• mahinā: by (his) greatness
• mahinā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (instrumental): ‘by (his) majesty’

• mahīyasaḥ: of the exceedingly great (Lord)
• mahīyasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahīyas (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक-विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative): ‘of the very great one’

• svapnaḥ: a dream
• svapnaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svapna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (comparative particle): ‘as/just as’

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — emphasis/indeed

• pratibodhe: at awakening
• pratibodhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratibodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण: ‘upon awakening’

• āgate: having come; arrived
• āgate: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-gam (आ-गम्-धातु)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, सप्तमी एकवचन, पुं/नपुंस; सप्तमी-absolute सह ‘pratibodhe’: ‘when (awakening) has come’

• hari-smṛtiḥ: remembrance of Hari
• hari-smṛtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + smṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (Hari’s remembrance / remembrance of Hari)

• sarva-vipad-vimokṣaṇam: the deliverance from all calamities
• sarva-vipad-vimokṣaṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + vipad (प्रातिपदिक) + vimokṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः; विधेय (predicate nominative)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Supreme Lord)
• Asuras (demons)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about remembering Hari during danger?

This verse states that hari-smṛti—remembrance of the Lord—is sarva-vipad-vimokṣaṇam, the deliverance from all calamities, because divine presence dispels fear and illusion.

Why are demonic illusions compared to a dream in Srimad Bhagavatam 8.10.55?

Because the demons’ māyā appears real only while one is “asleep” in delusion; when the Lord’s superior potency manifests—like awakening—those illusions immediately vanish.

Practical application of hari-smṛti (remembrance of God) in modern life?

In anxiety or crisis, deliberately return the mind to Hari through japa, prayer, or hearing His names and pastimes; this steadies consciousness and cuts through panic and भ्रम (illusion).