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

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Canto 10 · The Summum Bonum · 90 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 10 · Chapter 1: The Advent of Lord Kṛṣṇa: Introduction
10.1.2210.1.24

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.1.23

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.1.15inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

वसुदेवगृहे साक्षाद् भगवान्पुरुष: पर: । जनिष्यते तत्प्रियार्थं सम्भवन्तु सुरस्त्रिय: ॥ २३ ॥

vasudeva-gṛhe sākṣād

bhagavān puruṣaḥ paraḥ

janiṣyate tat-priyārthaṁ

sambhavantu sura-striyaḥ

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who has full potency, will personally appear as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore all the wives of the demigods should also appear in order to satisfy Him.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Prepares Us to Live With Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead with full potency, would personally appear as Vasudeva’s son. Devoted wives of the demigods were called to appear for His satisfaction.

  2. 2

    The Lord’s pastimes are eternal because they continuously take place in one universe after another. A devotee returning to Godhead first joins the universe where those pastimes are being displayed.

  3. 3

    The devoted women would become fully trained to live with Kṛṣṇa by giving Him pleasure in His pastimes. Through His association, they would return home, back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • Therefore, the devotee is first transferred to that particular universe where the pastimes of the Lord are current.
  • From there, if his devotional service is complete, such a devotee is transferred to the place where the Lord’s pastimes are going on.
  • Sura-strī, the women of the heavenly planets, were thus ordered to appear in the Yadu dynasty in Vṛndāvana to enrich the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

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· 1

The purport of SB 10.1.23 quotesBG 4.9

In Bhagavad-gītā (4.9) the Lord says, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti: after giving up the material body, the devotee of the Lord returns home, back to Godhead.

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

Terror → Wonder and relief. The threat of destruction yields to divine appearance.

Chapters 1–4 of Canto 10: Threat from Kaṁsa and Kṛṣṇa's birth. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 1: The Advent of Lord Kṛṣṇa: Introduction

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The demigods, along with their wives, should appear there as associates of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the family of Yadu to increase the sons and grandsons in that dynasty. By the will of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Anantadeva would appear first, as Balarāma, and Kṛṣṇa’s potency, Yoga-māyā, would also appear.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.1
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. vasudeva-gṛhein the house of Vasudeva (who would be the father of Kṛṣṇa when the Lord appeared)
  2. sākṣātpersonally
  3. bhagavānthe Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has full potency
  4. puruṣaḥthe original person
  5. paraḥwho is transcendental
  6. janiṣyatewill appear
  7. tat-priya-arthamand for His satisfaction
  8. sambhavantushould take birth
  9. sura-striyaḥall the wives of the demigods
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.1

    In this verse: “devotee”

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 you approach devotional service as preparation for living with Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Choose one small act of devotional service today and do it with the intention of pleasing Kṛṣṇa.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevotional Service Prepares Us to Live With KṛṣṇaThis 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 10.1.23? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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