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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 11: The Childhood Pastimes of Kṛṣṇa
10.11.5710.11.59

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.11.58

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The cowherd men, headed by Nanda Mahārājasince 10.11.55inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

इति नन्दादयो गोपा: कृष्णरामकथां मुदा ।

कुर्वन्तो रममाणाश्च नाविन्दन् भववेदनाम् ॥ ५८ ॥

iti nandādayo gopāḥ

kṛṣṇa-rāma-kathāṁ mudā

kurvanto ramamāṇāś ca

nāvindan bhava-vedanām

Translation

In this way all the cowherd men, headed by Nanda Mahārāja, enjoyed topics about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with great transcendental pleasure, and they could not even perceive material tribulations.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Hearing About Kṛṣṇa Brings Transcendental Happiness

  1. 1

    Nanda Mahārāja and the other cowherd men enjoyed discussing the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. Their transcendental pleasure was so great that they did not perceive material tribulations.

  2. 2

    By following in their footsteps, we can be happy simply by discussing Kṛṣṇa’s activities. Vyāsadeva gave Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam so that everyone could understand their transcendental position through such discussion.

  3. 3

    The purport emphasizes bhakti-yoga through chanting and hearing about Kṛṣṇa’s activities. This devotional path frees one from material tribulations without the difficult austerities and penances of this age.

Key points from the purport
  • If we follow in the footsteps of Nanda Mahārāja and the gopas, we can all be happy simply by discussing the activities of Kṛṣṇa.
  • Even at the present moment, everyone everywhere can be happy and free from material tribulations by following Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
  • By our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are trying to distribute Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam so that anyone in any part of the world can be absorbed in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement by chanting and hearing about the activities of Kṛṣṇa and be free from all material tribulations.

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· 2

The purport of SB 10.11.58 quotesSB 1.1.2

Sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate ’tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrūṣubhis tat-kṣaṇāt. Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā in Vṛndāvana appeared like ordinary persons of this material world, but they never felt the tribulations of this world, although they sometimes met many dangerous situations created by the demons.

The purport of SB 10.11.58 quotesSB 1.7.6

cakre sātvata-saṁhitām. Vyāsadeva has given this literature so that everyone may understand one’s transcendental position simply by discussing bhāgavata-kathā.

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

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. itiin this way
  2. nanda-ādayaḥall the cowherd men, headed by Nanda Mahārāja
  3. gopāḥcowherd men
  4. kṛṣṇa-rāma-kathāmnarration of incidents in connection with Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa and Rāma
  5. mudāin great transcendental pleasure
  6. kurvantaḥdoing that
  7. ramamāṇāḥ caenjoyed life and increased their affection for Kṛṣṇa
  8. nanot
  9. avindanperceived
  10. bhava-vedanāmthe tribulations of material existence
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

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 10.11

    In this verse: “nanda”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.11

    In this verse: “material”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.11

    In this verse: “devotional”, “bhakti-yoga”

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 I make hearing and discussing Kṛṣṇa’s activities a regular part of my devotional service?

Practice

Spend five minutes discussing one of Kṛṣṇa’s activities from these passages with someone, or reading it aloud.

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.

The purport quotesSB 1.1.2SB 1.7.6

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 10.11's connections

Live this todayHearing About Kṛṣṇa Brings Transcendental HappinessThis 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 10.11.58? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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