SB 6.9.1 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

श्रीशुक उवाच तस्यासन् विश्वरूपस्य शिरांसि त्रीणि भारत । सोमपीथं सुरापीथमन्नादमिति शुश्रुम ॥ १ ॥

Verse text

śrī-śuka uvāca tasyāsan viśvarūpasya śirāṁsi trīṇi bhārata soma-pīthaṁ surā-pītham annādam iti śuśruma

Synonyms

śrī — śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said ; tasya — of him ; āsan — there were ; viśvarūpasya — of Viśvarūpa, the priest of the demigods ; śirāṁsi — heads ; trīṇi — three ; bhārata — O Mahārāja Parīkṣit ; soma — pītham — used for drinking the beverage soma ; surā — pītham — used for drinking wine ; anna — adam — used for eating ; iti — thus ; śuśruma — I have heard by the paramparā system .

Translation

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Viśvarūpa, who was engaged as the priest of the demigods, had three heads. He used one to drink the beverage soma-rasa, another to drink wine and the third to eat food. O King Parīkṣit, thus I have heard from authorities.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Śrī Śukadeva said: O King Parīkṣit! I have heard that Viśvarūpa had three heads, one for drinking soma-rasa, another for drinking wine and a third for eating food. In the ninth chapter Indra kills Viśvarūpa, Tvaṣṭā produces Vṛtrāsura and the Lord, after being praised by the devatās, instructs the devatās how to obtain the thunderbolt. Soma-pītham means “drinking soma.” Annadam means “eating food.” The śruti also describes Viśvarūpa’s position. [Note: It is found in Mahābhārata 12.329.17.] Viśvarūpo vai tvāṣtṛaḥ purohito devānām āsīt: Viśvarūpa, son of Tvastā was the priest of the devatās.

Purport

One cannot directly perceive the kingdom of heaven, its king and other inhabitants, or how they perform their various engagements, for no one can go to the heavenly planets. Although modern scientists have invented many powerful space vehicles, they cannot even go to the moon, not to speak of other planets. By direct experience one cannot learn anything beyond the range of human perception. One must hear from authorities. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī, a great personality, says, “What I am describing to you, O King, is what I have heard from authoritative sources.” This is the Vedic system. The Vedic knowledge is called śruti because it must be received by being heard from authorities. It is beyond the realm of our false experimental knowledge.