1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

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

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 10 · The Summum Bonum · 90 chapters

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990

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 13: The Stealing of the Boys and Calves by Brahmā
10.13.2010.13.22

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.13.21

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.13.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तत्तद्वत्सान्पृथङ्‌नीत्वा तत्तद्गोष्ठे निवेश्य स: ।

तत्तदात्माभवद् राजंस्तत्तत्सद्म प्रविष्टवान् ॥ २१ ॥

tat-tad-vatsān pṛthaṅ nītvā

tat-tad-goṣṭhe niveśya saḥ

tat-tad-ātmābhavad rājaṁs

tat-tat-sadma praviṣṭavān

Translation

O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Kṛṣṇa, who had divided Himself as different calves and also as different cowherd boys, entered different cow sheds as the calves and then different homes as different boys.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa Personally Enters Each Home

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself as the different calves and cowherd boys. As each calf, He entered its respective shed.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa had many friends, among whom Śrīdāmā, Sudāmā and Subala were prominent. He Himself became each of these friends.

  3. 3

    As the different boys, Kṛṣṇa entered their respective homes. He personally took each boy’s place.

Key points from the purport
  • Kṛṣṇa had many, many friends, of whom Śrīdāmā, Sudāmā and Subala were prominent.
  • Thus Kṛṣṇa Himself became Śrīdāmā, Sudāmā and Subala and entered their respective houses with their respective calves.

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

Peril and pride → Friendship and humility. Divinity is revealed amid intimate childhood play.

Chapters 12–19 of Canto 10: Childhood dangers and Brahmā's amazement. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 13: The Stealing of the Boys and Calves by Brahmā

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, in order to please Lord Brahmā, as well as His own associates and their mothers, expanded Himself to become the calves and boys, exactly as they were before. In this way, He discovered another pastime.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.13
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tat-tat-vatsānthe calves, which belonged to different cows
  2. pṛthakseparately
  3. nītvābringing
  4. tat-tat-goṣṭheto their respective cow sheds
  5. niveśyaentering
  6. saḥKṛṣṇa
  7. tat-tat-ātmāas originally different individual souls
  8. abhavatHe expanded Himself in that way
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 10.13

    In this verse: “cowherd boys”, “friends”

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 strikes me about Kṛṣṇa personally becoming each boy and entering each home?

Practice

Read the translation slowly once, pausing to remember that Kṛṣṇa Himself entered every one of these homes.

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 10.13's connections

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Personally Enters Each HomeThis 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 10.13.21? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories