Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 32

Kūrma Supports Mandara; Hālahala Appears; Śiva Becomes Nīlakaṇṭha

Devanagari script

कामाध्वरत्रिपुरकालगराद्यनेक- भूतद्रुह: क्षपयत: स्तुतये न तत् ते । यस्त्वन्तकाल इदमात्मकृतं स्वनेत्र- वह्निस्फुलिङ्गशिखया भसितं न वेद ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

kāmādhvara-tripura-kālagarādy-aneka- bhūta-druhaḥ kṣapayataḥ stutaye na tat te yas tv anta-kāla idam ātma-kṛtaṁ sva-netra- vahni-sphuliṅga-śikhayā bhasitaṁ na veda

Translation

当毁灭之时，你眼中迸出的火焰与火星将这由你亲自成就的宇宙焚为灰烬；然而你却仿佛并不自认知晓其如何发生。既如此，毁灭达克沙祭祀、诛灭三城阿修罗（Tripurāsura）、吞制迦拉库塔毒（kālakūṭa）又算得了什么？此类作为并非向你祈祷赞颂的主题。

Synonyms

• काम-अध्वर-त्रिपुर-काल-गर-आदि-अनेक-भूत-द्रुहः: the destroyer/enemy of many beings such as Kāma’s sacrifice, Tripura, Kāla, poison, etc.
• काम-अध्वर-त्रिपुर-काल-गर-आदि-अनेक-भूत-द्रुहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रिपुर (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक) + गर (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रुह् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (द्रुह् → द्रुह्/द्रुह्-प्रातिपदिक ‘one who harms’; here as बहुपद-समास), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘कामाध्वरादि-अनेक-भूतानां द्रुहः’ (genitive-tatpurusha)

• क्षपयतः: of (you) who are destroying
• क्षपयतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षपयत् (कृदन्त; √क्षि/क्षप् caus. √क्षि ‘to destroy’)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्तुतये: for praise
• स्तुतये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• अन्त-कालः: the time of the end (death)
• अन्त-कालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (antasyāḥ kālaḥ)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• आत्म-कृतम्: done by oneself
• आत्म-कृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP: कृत), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘आत्मना कृतम्’ (instrumental-tatpurusha sense)

• स्व-नेत्र-वह्नि-स्फुलिङ्ग-शिखया: by the flame-spark from his own eye-fire
• स्व-नेत्र-वह्नि-स्फुलिङ्ग-शिखया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्फुलिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (with the flame-spark from one’s own eye-fire)

• भसितम्: burnt to ashes
• भसितम्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्म (प्रातिपदिक) / √भस् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP: भसित ‘reduced to ash’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• वेद: knows
• वेद: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Purport

Since Lord Śiva considers the great acts he performs to be very unimportant, what was to be said of counteracting the strong poison produced by the churning? The demigods indirectly prayed that Lord Śiva counteract the kālakūṭa poison, which was spreading throughout the universe.

Characters & Entities

• Lord Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam 8.7.32 say about destruction and cosmic dissolution?

It describes how, at the time of annihilation, the universe is burned to ashes by the fiery sparks and flames from Lord Śiva’s eyes, emphasizing the overwhelming power of dissolution.

Why do the Devas speak about harmful acts like lust, violence, and poison while praying to Lord Śiva?

In their prayer they contrast destructive tendencies with the transcendence of Śiva’s role in cosmic dissolution, implying that ordinary destructive beings are not worthy of praise, whereas Śiva’s destruction is part of the divine cosmic function.

How can this verse be applied in modern life for spiritual practice?

It encourages detachment and non-harm: do not glorify or imitate destructive impulses (lust, cruelty), and remember the temporary nature of the world, turning the mind toward devotion and higher purpose.