242 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 7
acfaficaritecra?-
eaqserTaTelA: 1122
indra uvaca
idam apy acyuta visva-bhavanam
vapur ananda-karam mano-drsam
sura-vidvit -ksapanair ud-ayudhair
bhuja-dandair upapannam astabhih
indrah uvaca—King Indra said; idam—this; api—certainly; acyuta—O
infallible one; visva-bhdvanam—for the welfare of the universe; vapuh—
transcendental form; dnanda-karam—a cause of pleasure; manah-drsam—
to the mind and the eye; sura-vidvis—envious of Your devotees; ksapanaih—
by punishment; ud-dyudhaih—with uplifted weapons; bhuja-dandaih—with
arms; upapannam—possessed of; astabhih—with eight.
TRANSLATION
King Indra said: My dear Lord, Your transcendental form with eight
hands and weapons in each of them appears for the welfare of the entire
universe, and it is very pleasing to the mind and eyes. In such a form Your
Lordship is always prepared to punish the demons, who are envious of
Your devotees.
PURPORT
It is generally understood from revealed scriptures that Lord Visnu
appears with four hands, but in this particular sacrificial arena Lord Visnu
arrived with eight hands. King Indra said, “Even though we are accustomed
to see Your four-handed Visnu form, still this appearance with eight hands
is as real as the four-handed form.” As Lord Brahma had said, to realize
the transcendental form of the Lord is beyond the power of the senses. In
reply to that statement of Brahma, King Indra here says that even though
the transcendental form of the Lord is not perceivable by the material
senses, His activities and His transcendental form can be understood. The
Lord’s uncommon features, uncommon activities and uncommon beauty
can be perceived even by an ordinary man. For example, when Lord Krgna
appeared just like a six- or seven-year-old boy in Vrndavana, He was
approached by the residents there. There were torrents of rain, and the
Lord saved the residents of Vrndavana by lifting Govardhana Hill and
