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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 11: The Childhood Pastimes of Kṛṣṇa
10.11.4810.11.50

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.11.49

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.11.21inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

कृष्णं महाबकग्रस्तं द‍ृष्ट्वा रामादयोऽर्भका: ।

बभूवुरिन्द्रियाणीव विना प्राणं विचेतस: ॥ ४९ ॥

kṛṣṇaṁ mahā-baka-grastaṁ

dṛṣṭvā rāmādayo ’rbhakāḥ

babhūvur indriyāṇīva

vinā prāṇaṁ vicetasaḥ

Translation

When Balarāma and the other boys saw that Kṛṣṇa had been devoured by the gigantic duck, they became almost unconscious, like senses without life.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Intense Affection Brings Momentary Bewilderment

  1. 1

    Seeing Kṛṣṇa swallowed by the gigantic duck, Balarāma and the other boys became almost unconscious, like senses without life.

  2. 2

    Although Balarāma can do everything, intense affection for His brother made Him momentarily bewildered.

  3. 3

    The purport gives a similar example of Rukmiṇī. When the kings attacked Kṛṣṇa after He kidnapped her, she was momentarily bewildered until the Lord took the proper steps.

Key points from the purport
  • Although Balarāma can do everything, because of intense affection for His brother He was momentarily bewildered.
  • A similar thing is stated to have happened in connection with rukmiṇī-haraṇa, the kidnapping of Rukmiṇī.
  • When Kṛṣṇa, after kidnapping Rukmiṇī, was attacked by all the kings, Rukmiṇī was momentarily bewildered, until the Lord took the proper steps.

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

Worry and play → Parental tenderness. The Supreme becomes the beloved child of His devotees.

Chapters 5–11 of Canto 10: Gokula, Yaśodā and the infant Lord. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 11: The Childhood Pastimes of Kṛṣṇa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In Vṛndāvana, both Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, after finishing Their childhood pastimes, began to take charge of the calves and send them to the pasturing grounds ( go-caraṇa). During this time, a demon named Vatsāsura entered among the calves and was killed, and another asura, in the shape of a big duck, was also killed.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.11
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kṛṣṇamunto Kṛṣṇa
  2. mahā-baka-grastamswallowed by the great duck
  3. dṛṣṭvāseeing this incident
  4. rāma-ādayaḥ arbhakāḥall the other boys, headed by Balarāma
  5. babhūvuḥbecame overwhelmed
  6. indriyāṇisenses
  7. ivalike
  8. vināwithout
  9. prāṇamlife
  10. vicetasaḥvery much bewildered, almost unconscious
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 10.11

    In this verse: “kings”

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 the purport help you see Balarāma's bewilderment as affection rather than inability?

Practice

Pause for a minute to reflect on Balarāma's intense affection for Kṛṣṇa.

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 10.11's connections

Live this todayIntense Affection Brings Momentary BewildermentThis 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 10.11.49? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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