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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
10.1.6110.1.64

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 10.1.62-63

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.1.55inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

नन्दाद्या ये व्रजे गोपा याश्चामीषां च योषित: । वृष्णयो वसुदेवाद्या देवक्याद्या यदुस्त्रिय: ॥ ६२ ॥ सर्वे वै देवताप्राया उभयोरपि भारत । ज्ञातयो बन्धुसुहृदो ये च कंसमनुव्रता: ॥ ६३ ॥

nandādyā ye vraje gopā

yāś cāmīṣāṁ ca yoṣitaḥ

vṛṣṇayo vasudevādyā

devaky-ādyā yadu-striyaḥ

sarve vai devatā-prāyā

ubhayor api bhārata

jñātayo bandhu-suhṛdo

ye ca kaṁsam anuvratāḥ

Translation

The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, headed by Nanda Mahārāja and including his associate cowherd men and their wives, were none but denizens of the heavenly planets, O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, best of the descendants of Bharata, and so too were the descendants of the Vṛṣṇi dynasty, headed by Vasudeva and Devakī and the other women of the dynasty of Yadu. The friends, relatives and well-wishers of both Nanda Mahārāja and Vasudeva and even those who externally appeared to be followers of Kaṁsa were all demigods.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotees Gather for the Lord’s Pastimes

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead called denizens of the heavenly planets to take birth in Vṛndāvana and the Yadu and Vṛṣṇi families. They came to witness Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.

  2. 2

    The Lord’s pastimes include saving His devotees and killing demons. He also plays the roles of friend, son and brother to His devotees.

  3. 3

    Some devotees who have not completed devotional service are elevated to heavenly planets and may later reach the place of the Lord’s pastimes. Even those who outwardly helped Kaṁsa came from higher planetary systems.

Key points from the purport
  • Now this verse informs us that all the family and friends of the Yadu dynasty, the Vṛṣṇi dynasty, Nanda Mahārāja and the gopas descended from the heavenly planets to see the pastimes of the Lord.
  • When Lord Kṛṣṇa was to appear, the denizens of the heavenly planets were invited to see the pastimes of the Lord, and thus it is stated here that the members of the Yadu and Vṛṣṇi dynasties and the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana were demigods or almost as good as demigods.
  • The imprisonment and release of Vasudeva and the killing of various demons were all manifestations of the pastimes of the Lord, and because the devotees would be pleased to see these activities personally, they were all invited to take birth as friends and relatives of these families.

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 10.1.62-63 quotesBG 4.8

As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (4.8), the Lord’s pastimes consist of paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām — saving the devotees and killing the demons.

The purport of SB 10.1.62-63 quotesBG 6.41

“The unsuccessful yogī, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.”

The purport of SB 10.1.62-63 quotesSB 1.8.19

As confirmed in the prayers of Kuntī, nato nāṭya-dharo yathā.

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:

Consequently, Kaṁsa became a great enemy to all the descendants of the yadu-vaṁśa, the Yadu dynasty. He even arrested and imprisoned his own father, Ugrasena, for Kaṁsa wanted to enjoy the kingdom alone.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.1
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nanda-ādyāḥbeginning from Nanda Mahārāja
  2. yeall of which persons
  3. vrajein Vṛndāvana
  4. gopāḥthe cowherd men
  5. yāḥwhich
  6. caand
  7. amīṣāmof all those (inhabitants of Vṛndāvana)
  8. caas well as
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

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 10.1

    In this verse: “friends”, “friend”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

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

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

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

    In this verse: “nanda”

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

What draws me to hear about Kṛṣṇa’s relationships with His devotees?

Practice

Reread this translation slowly, remembering that these families and friends gathered to witness the Lord’s pastimes.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 10.1's connections

Live this todayDevotees Gather for the Lord’s PastimesThis 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 10.1.62-63? Get an answer from the verses themselves.