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

Nang pumasok sa digmaan ang Panginoong lubhang makapangyarihan, naglaho agad ang māyā na nilikha ng mapanlinlang na gawa ng mga asura—gaya ng panganib sa panaginip na nawawala kapag nagising. Tunay, ang pag-alaala kay Śrī Hari ang nagpapalaya sa lahat ng kapahamakan.

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).