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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 7: The Son of Droṇa Punished
1.7.241.7.26

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.7.25

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Arjunasince 1.7.22inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

तथायं चावतारस्ते भुवो भारजिहीर्षया ।

स्वानां चानन्यभावानामनुध्यानाय चासकृत् ॥ २५ ॥

tathāyaṁ cāvatāras te

bhuvo bhāra-jihīrṣayā

svānāṁ cānanya-bhāvānām

anudhyānāya cāsakṛt

Translation

Thus You descend as an incarnation to remove the burden of the world and to benefit Your friends, especially those who are Your exclusive devotees and are constantly rapt in meditation upon You.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord’s Relationships Are Transcendental

  1. 1

    The Lord descends to remove the world’s burden and benefit His friends, especially exclusive devotees who constantly meditate upon Him.

  2. 2

    Everyone is related to the Lord, and He is equal to everyone. Yet He is especially inclined toward His devotees.

  3. 3

    The Lord’s relationships with His devotees are transcendental pastimes, not ordinary material relationships. There is nothing mundane about these relationships in devotional service.

Key points from the purport
  • It appears that the Lord is partial to His devotees.
  • It has nothing to do with mundane ideas of relations, fatherhood or anything like that.
  • As mentioned above, the Lord is above the modes of material nature, and thus there is nothing mundane about His kinsmen and relations in devotional service.

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

Further reading

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
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tathāthus
  2. ayamthis
  3. caand
  4. avatāraḥincarnation
  5. teYour
  6. bhuvaḥof the material world
  7. bhāraburden
  8. jihīrṣayāfor removing
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 1.7

    In this verse: “devotees”, “devotional service”

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 1.7

    In this verse: “friends”

  • 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.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I give the Lord more of my attention in devotional service?

Practice

Set aside one quiet minute today to remember the Lord without attending to anything else.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

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.

Live this todayThe Lord’s Relationships Are TranscendentalThis 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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