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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 1 · Creation · 19 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 1 · Chapter 15: The Pāṇḍavas Retire Timely
1.15.41.15.6

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.15.5

Nirodha· Winding up
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Arjunasince 1.15.5inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

अर्जुन उवाच

वञ्चितोऽहं महाराज हरिणा बन्धुरूपिणा ।

येन मेऽपहृतं तेजो देवविस्मापनं महत् ॥ ५ ॥

arjuna uvāca

vañcito ’haṁ mahā-rāja

hariṇā bandhu-rūpiṇā

yena me ’pahṛtaṁ tejo

deva-vismāpanaṁ mahat

Translation

Arjuna said: O King! The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who treated me exactly like an intimate friend, has left me alone. Thus my astounding power, which astonished even the demigods, is no longer with me.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Use Borrowed Strength in the Lord’s Service

  1. 1

    Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, treated Arjuna as an intimate friend. Arjuna’s astounding power came from Him, not from independent strength.

  2. 2

    The Lord empowered Arjuna to fulfill His mission and withdrew those extraordinary powers when they were no longer needed. Such powers were not required for returning home, back to Godhead.

  3. 3

    No one should become proud of powers borrowed from the Lord. The best use of strength and opulence is to engage them gratefully in His service.

Key points from the purport
  • No one, therefore, can be independently powerful in any measure without being endowed by the Lord.
  • Similarly, the Lord takes away with Him all His associates when He disappears from the earth.
  • The lesson is, therefore, that no one should be puffed up for his powers borrowed from the Lord.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 2

The purport of SB 1.15.5 quotesBG 10.41

In the Bhagavad-gītā (10.41) the Lord says, “Anyone specifically powerful and opulent in wealth, strength, beauty, knowledge and all that is materially desirable is to be considered but a product of an insignificant portion of the complete whole of My energy.”

The purport of SB 1.15.5 quotesBG 4.5

It is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.5) that the Lord and His eternal associates descend to the earth many times, but the Lord remembers all the different roles of incarnations, whereas the associates, by His supreme will, forget them.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Bereavement → Renunciation. The worldly support system recedes and attachment is exposed.

Chapters 13–15 of Canto 1: Dhṛtarāṣṭra departs; Kṛṣṇa disappears; Pāṇḍavas retire. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 15: The Pāṇḍavas Retire Timely

Arjuna grieves over Kṛṣṇa’s departure, and the Pāṇḍavas retire, fixing their minds on His lotus feet.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.15
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. arjunaḥ uvācaArjuna said
  2. vañcitaḥleft by Him
  3. ahammyself
  4. mahā-rājaO King
  5. hariṇāby the Personality of Godhead
  6. bandhu-rūpiṇāas if an intimate friend
  7. yenaby whom
  8. memy
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Nirodha · Returning home, back to Godhead

    What happens when everything here comes to an end? · Subject 8 of 10

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 1.15

    In this verse: “friend”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 1.15

    In this verse: “king”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 1.15

    In this verse: “proud”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which ability could you regard more gratefully as a gift meant for the Lord’s service?

Practice

Use one ability or resource today for a small act of service to the Lord, consciously thanking Him for it.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayUse Borrowed Strength in the Lord’s ServiceThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

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