Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 6

Vāmanadeva Praises Bali; the Measure of Three Steps; Śukrācārya Warns Against the Gift

Devanagari script

यं विनिर्जित्य कृच्छ्रेण विष्णु: क्ष्मोद्धार आगतम् । आत्मानं जयिनं मेने तद्वीर्यं भूर्यनुस्मरन् ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

yaṁ vinirjitya kṛcchreṇa viṣṇuḥ kṣmoddhāra āgatam ātmānaṁ jayinaṁ mene tad-vīryaṁ bhūry anusmaran

Translation

Khi nâng trái đất lên khỏi biển Garbhodaka, Đức Viṣṇu trong hóa thân Varāha đã giết Hiraṇyākṣa sau một trận chiến dữ dội và vô cùng gian nan. Về sau, khi nhiều lần hồi tưởng sức mạnh phi thường của Hiraṇyākṣa, Ngài cảm nhận mình quả thật là bậc chiến thắng.

Synonyms

• yam: whom
• yam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); refers to hiraṇyākṣa (previous verse)

• vinirjitya: having completely conquered
• vinirjitya: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vi-nir-√ji (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) from √ji (जि) ‘to conquer’ with prefixes vi-nir-; indeclinable

• kṛcchreṇa: with difficulty
• kṛcchreṇa: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛcchra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṣmā-uddhāre: in the lifting of the earth
• kṣmā-uddhāre: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣmā + uddhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: kṣmā (earth) + uddhāra (lifting/rescue)

• āgatam: having come; arrived
• āgatam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP) from √gam (गम्) with ā-; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with ātmānam (self)

• ātmānam: himself
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• jayinam: victorious
• jayinam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jayin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with ātmānam

• mene: considered; thought
• mene: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); ātmanepada

• tat-vīryam: that prowess
• tat-vīryam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa (pronominal): tat (that) + vīrya (valor/power)

• bhūri: greatly; much
• bhūri: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhūri (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (अव्यय) meaning ‘much, greatly’

• anusmaran: remembering repeatedly
• anusmaran: Karta (कर्ता; participial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-√smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ) from √smṛ (स्मृ) with anu-; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with viṣṇuḥ

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Bali Mahārāja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about pride after victory?

This verse shows how Bali, after a hard-won triumph, began to think of himself as the true victor—illustrating how success can inflate ego and obscure the Lord’s higher purpose.

Why is Lord Vishnu described as coming to uplift the earth here?

Śukadeva indicates that Viṣṇu’s descent is ultimately for cosmic welfare—protecting and restoring balance—regardless of how the demons temporarily interpret events as their own victory.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Even genuine achievements can breed arrogance; remembering that results depend on divine order and cultivating humility helps keep success aligned with dharma.