Canto 3: The Status Quo
SB3.24

Canto 3 · Chapter 24 · 47 verses · 1 story

The Renunciation of Kardama Muni

Kapila appears as Devahūti’s son, the daughters marry, and Kardama renounces family life with the Lord’s permission.

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Connected storiesBhṛgu MuniLord VarāhaLord NṛsiṁhadevaAmbarīṣa Mahārāja
Who is speakingSūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraEvery voice in this chapter ›

What this chapter speaks about · the ten subjects

In this chapter

Who · Lord Kapila, Devahūti, Kardama Muni, Brahmā, Kardama’s nine daughters

The story · Following Kardama’s direction with faith, Devahūti worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Brahmā understood that the Lord had appeared in her womb to explain complete knowledge, and announced that her son would be celebrated as Kapila. Kardama’s nine daughters married sages, who departed joyfully for their hermitages. With his family duties fulfilled, Kardama asked the Lord’s permission to become a wandering mendicant. Kapila granted permission, telling him to surrender all his activities to Him, and Kardama fixed his mind upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

What it teaches · The Lord appears to support His devotees. True renunciation means surrendering one’s activities to Him and seeking Him through unfailing devotional service.

Beyond this chapter

Connected stories across the Bhāgavatam

Stories told in other chapters that this chapter's verses or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purports bring in, the other Bhāgavatam verses the purports quote, and stories in other cantos with the same themes. Each link shows the sentence it comes from.

What it teaches · The chapter identifies tolerance as a sure sign of greatness and establishes Lord Viṣṇu’s supremacy. Arjuna’s unsuccessful search also shows the limits of even an extraordinary warrior’s independent power.

The nine principal ṛṣis, or sages, are Marīci, Atri, Aṅgirā, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhṛgu, Vasiṣṭha and Atharvā.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.24.15 (Text 15)

He delivered Gati to Pulaha, the chaste Kriyā to Kratu, Khyāti to Bhṛgu, and Arundhatī to Vasiṣṭha.

Read the story in SB 10.89

What it teaches · This pastime displays the Lord’s unlimited power. Brahmā explains that understanding the Lord depends on His favor, received through unalloyed surrender to His service.

When we say “Kṛṣṇa” we refer to all forms of the Lord — not only Kṛṣṇa, but Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, Nārāyaṇa, etc.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.24.31 (Text 31)

The Lord descends either as Kapila or Rāma, Nṛsiṁha or Varāha, and whatever forms He assumes in the material world are all manifestations of His own personal internal energy.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.24.33 (Text 33)
Read the story in SB 2.7

What it teaches · No one is equal to or greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His unlimited power protects His devotee and ends Hiraṇyakaśipu’s oppression.

When we say “Kṛṣṇa” we refer to all forms of the Lord — not only Kṛṣṇa, but Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, Nārāyaṇa, etc.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.24.31 (Text 31)

The Lord descends either as Kapila or Rāma, Nṛsiṁha or Varāha, and whatever forms He assumes in the material world are all manifestations of His own personal internal energy.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.24.33 (Text 33)
Read the story in SB 7.8

What it teaches · Prahlāda’s devotion does not depend on his teachers’ approval or his father’s favor. His spiritual understanding makes him equal toward everyone.

From the prayers of Prahlāda Mahārāja, however, we understand that He appears garbed as a devotee in Kali-yuga.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.24.26 (Text 26)

Forest-going means to take one-hundred-percent shelter of the Supreme Lord, as explained by Prahlāda Mahārāja in his talks with his father.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.24.41 (Text 41)
Read the story in SB 7.5

What it teaches · The Lord’s conduct shows how dearly He values the brāhmaṇas and how seriously He regards disrespect toward them. Even while facing punishment, the doorkeepers sought the shelter of remembering Him.

He returned to his own planet with the four Kumāras and Nārada because they were not going to be married.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 3.24.20 (Text 20)

After thus speaking to Kardama Muni and his wife Devahūti, Lord Brahmā, the creator of the universe, who is also known as Haṁsa, went back to the highest of the three planetary systems on his swan carrier with the four Kumāras and Nārada.

Read the story in SB 3.15–16

Same themes in another canto

Both chapters carry these themes strongly in the themes map, an editorial reading of each chapter's story.