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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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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

How to study this verse, in six steps

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
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 7: The Son of Droṇa Punished

1.7.19 1.7.21

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.7.20

Ūti· What drives us to act

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.7.12inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

अथोपस्पृश्य सलिलं सन्दधे तत्समाहित: ।

अजानन्नपि संहारं प्राणकृच्छ्र उपस्थिते ॥ २० ॥

athopaspṛśya salilaṁ

sandadhe tat samāhitaḥ

ajānann api saṁhāraṁ

prāṇa-kṛcchra upasthite

Translation

Since his life was in danger, he touched water in sanctity and concentrated upon the chanting of the hymns for throwing nuclear weapons, although he did not know how to withdraw such weapons.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Power Without Knowledge of Withdrawal

1
With his life in danger, Aśvatthāmā touches water in sanctity and concentrates on chanting the weapon’s hymns.
2
He prepares to release the weapon even though he does not know how to withdraw it.
3
The purport describes subtle material activities as finer than gross material manipulation. Here, purified sound in the form of hymns is used to activate a weapon.

Key points from the purport

The subtle forms of material activities are finer than grosser methods of material manipulation.
Such subtle forms of material activities are effected through purification of sound.
The same method is adopted here by chanting hymns to act as nuclear weapons.

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

Grief → Trust. Violence and bereavement make Kṛṣṇa's protective presence precious.

Chapters 7–9 of Canto 1: Postwar anguish, Kuntī and Bhīṣma. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 7: The Son of Droṇa Punished

Vyāsadeva compiles Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; Arjuna captures Aśvatthāmā, and Kṛṣṇa addresses the question of his punishment.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.7

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

athathus
upaspṛśyatouching in sanctity
salilamwater
sandadhechanted the hymns
tatthat
samāhitaḥbeing in concentration
ajānanwithout knowing
apialthough

Key ideas in this verse

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

Ūti · The creative impetus
Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10
Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting
Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 1.7
In this verse: “chanting”
Abhaya · Fearlessness
Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 1.7
In this verse: “danger”
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 1.7
In this verse: “material”

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

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Before starting something consequential, do I understand how to stop or undo it?

Practice

Before one action with lasting effects today, check whether you know how to reverse it.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

1 lecture given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

SB 1.7.20–2117 Sep 1976 · VrndavanaListen

Live this todayPower Without Knowledge of WithdrawalThis 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 1.7.20? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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