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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 8: Prayers by Queen Kuntī and Parīkṣit Saved
1.8.371.8.39

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.8.38

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Queen Kuntīsince 1.8.18inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

के वयं नामरूपाभ्यां यदुभि: सह पाण्डवा: ।

भवतोऽदर्शनं यर्हि हृषीकाणामिवेशितु: ॥ ३८ ॥

ke vayaṁ nāma-rūpābhyāṁ

yadubhiḥ saha pāṇḍavāḥ

bhavato ’darśanaṁ yarhi

hṛṣīkāṇām iveśituḥ

Translation

As the name and fame of a particular body is finished with the disappearance of the living spirit, similarly if You do not look upon us, all our fame and activities, along with the Pāṇḍavas and Yadus, will end at once.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Our Strength Depends on Kṛṣṇa’s Favor

  1. 1

    Kuntīdevī knew that the Pāṇḍavas’ existence depended on Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Their fame, moral leadership and powerful allies had no value without His guidance.

  2. 2

    Just as the senses are useless without consciousness, our abilities depend on the Lord’s favor. No one should be proud of prestige, power or fame apart from Him.

  3. 3

    Living beings are always dependent, and the Lord is their ultimate support. Even strong material resources and inventions fail without His guidance.

Key points from the purport
  • The Pāṇḍavas are undoubtedly well established in name and fame and are guided by the great King Yudhiṣṭhira, who is morality personified, and the Yadus are undoubtedly great allies, but without the guidance of Lord Kṛṣṇa all of them are nonentities, as much as the senses of the body are useless without the guidance of consciousness.
  • No one should be proud of his prestige, power and fame without being guided by the favor of the Supreme Lord.
  • We may, therefore, invent by our advancement of material knowledge all sorts of counteracting material resources, but without being guided by the Lord all such inventions end in fiasco, however strong and stout the reactionary elements may be.

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 8: Prayers by Queen Kuntī and Parīkṣit Saved

Kṛṣṇa protects Parīkṣit, Kuntī prays for undivided attraction to Him, and Yudhiṣṭhira grieves.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.8
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kewho are
  2. vayamwe
  3. nāma-rūpābhyāmwithout fame and ability
  4. yadubhiḥwith the Yadus
  5. sahaalong with
  6. pāṇḍavāḥand the Pāṇḍavas
  7. bhavataḥYour
  8. adarśanamabsence
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

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 1.8

    In this verse: “favor”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 1.8

    In this verse: “material”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 1.8

    In this verse: “proud”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which ability or achievement am I tempted to regard as mine alone?

Practice

Name one ability you value and offer a brief prayer acknowledging your dependence on Kṛṣṇa’s favor.

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 todayOur Strength Depends on Kṛṣṇa’s FavorThis 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 1.8.38? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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