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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 18: Mahārāja Parīkṣit Cursed by a Brāhmaṇa Boy
1.18.221.18.24-25

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.18.23

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.18.18inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

अहं हि पृष्टोऽर्यमणो भवद्भ‍ि-

राचक्ष आत्मावगमोऽत्र यावान् ।

नभ: पतन्त्यात्मसमं पतत्‍त्रिण-

स्तथा समं विष्णुगतिं विपश्चित: ॥ २३ ॥

ahaṁ hi pṛṣṭo ’ryamaṇo bhavadbhir

ācakṣa ātmāvagamo ’tra yāvān

nabhaḥ patanty ātma-samaṁ patattriṇas

tathā samaṁ viṣṇu-gatiṁ vipaścitaḥ

Translation

O ṛṣis, who are as powerfully pure as the sun, I shall try to describe to you the transcendental pastimes of Viṣṇu as far as my knowledge is concerned. As the birds fly in the sky as far as their capacity allows, so do the learned devotees describe the Lord as far as their realization allows.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Describe the Unlimited Lord With Humility

  1. 1

    The Supreme Absolute Truth is unlimited, while every living being’s capacity is limited. Like birds flying according to their strength, devotees describe the Lord according to their realization.

  2. 2

    The Lord is all-pervading Brahman, the Supreme Soul in everyone’s heart, and ultimately the Supreme Person. In His personal feature, He is the object of His pure devotees’ transcendental loving service.

  3. 3

    Śrīla Sūta Gosvāmī humbly describes only what he has realized. Only the Lord fully knows Himself, and devotees describe Him as He gives them the power.

Key points from the purport
  • The pastimes of the Lord in different features can only be estimated partly by the great learned devotees.
  • So Śrīla Sūta Gosvāmī has rightly taken this position in describing the pastimes of the Lord as far as he has realized.
  • Factually only the Lord Himself can describe Himself, and His learned devotee also can describe Him as far as the Lord gives him the power of description.

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

How it feels

Remorse and urgency → Surrender and inquiry. Seven days to live become the impetus for complete spiritual hearing.

Chapters 18–19 of Canto 1: Parīkṣit is cursed and welcomes Śukadeva. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 18: Mahārāja Parīkṣit Cursed by a Brāhmaṇa Boy

A sage’s son curses Parīkṣit, but his father condemns the punishment of the saintly king.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.18
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ahammy humble self
  2. hicertainly
  3. pṛṣṭaḥasked by you
  4. aryamaṇaḥas powerful as the sun
  5. bhavadbhiḥby you
  6. ācakṣemay describe
  7. ātma-avagamaḥas far as my knowledge is concerned
  8. atraherein
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 1.18

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “absolute truth”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 1.18

    In this verse: “devotees”

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

How can I speak about the Lord sincerely without pretending to understand more than I do?

Practice

Write one sentence about the Lord that you understand from this passage, acknowledging the limits of your understanding.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDescribe the Unlimited Lord With HumilityThis 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.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 1.18.23? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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