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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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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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
10.1.5510.1.57

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.1.56

Visarga· Brahmā's creation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.1.55inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

अथ काल उपावृत्ते देवकी सर्वदेवता । पुत्रान् प्रसुषुवे चाष्टौ कन्यां चैवानुवत्सरम् ॥ ५६ ॥

atha kāla upāvṛtte

devakī sarva-devatā

putrān prasuṣuve cāṣṭau

kanyāṁ caivānuvatsaram

Translation

Each year thereafter, in due course of time, Devakī, the mother of God and all the demigods, gave birth to a child. Thus she bore eight sons, one after another, and a daughter named Subhadrā.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Worshiping Kṛṣṇa Includes Everyone

  1. 1

    By the spiritual master’s grace, one can understand God and the demigods. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is their original source.

  2. 2

    The Lord’s svāṁśa expansions are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, while the vibhinnāṁśa are living beings who are His parts and parcels.

  3. 3

    By accepting Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and worshiping Him, one automatically worships all His parts and expansions. Because Devakī gave birth to Kṛṣṇa, she is described as sarva-devatā.

Key points from the purport
  • If we accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and worship Him, all the parts and expansions of the Lord are automatically worshiped.
  • By worshiping Acyuta, Kṛṣṇa, one automatically worships all the demigods.
  • Therefore, because mother Devakī gave birth to Kṛṣṇa, she is described here as sarva-devatā.

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· 3

The purport of SB 10.1.56 quotesSB 11.17.27

The spiritual master is sometimes glorified as sarva-devamayo guruḥ.

The purport of SB 10.1.56 quotesBG 10.2

In Bhagavad-gītā (10.2) the Lord says, aham ādir hi devānām: “I am the source of all the devas.”

The purport of SB 10.1.56 quotesSB 4.31.14

Sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā. Kṛṣṇa is known as Acyuta (senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me ’cyuta).

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:

In due course of time, when Devakī gave birth to a child, Vasudeva brought the newborn baby to Kaṁsa, who, upon seeing Vasudeva’s magnanimity, was struck with wonder. When Vasudeva gave Kaṁsa the child, Kaṁsa, showing some intelligence, said that since he was to be killed by the eighth child, why should he kill the first?
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.1
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. athathereafter
  2. kālein due course of time
  3. upāvṛttewhen it was ripe
  4. devakīDevakī, the wife of Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa’s father
  5. sarva-devatāDevakī, to whom all the demigods and God Himself appeared
  6. putrānsons
  7. prasuṣuvegave birth to
  8. caand
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Visarga · Subcreation

    How do living beings and their worlds appear? · Subject 2 of 10

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 10.1

    In this verse: “mother”, “child”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “worshiping”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 10.1

    In this verse: “grace”

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 does knowing that worship of Kṛṣṇa includes all His parts help me concentrate on Him?

Practice

Spend a quiet minute offering your worship to Kṛṣṇa, remembering Him as the source of all.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayWorshiping Kṛṣṇa Includes EveryoneThis 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 10.1.56? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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