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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

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
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

10.13.41 10.13.43

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.13.42

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

इत एतेऽत्र कुत्रत्या मन्मायामोहितेतरे ।

तावन्त एव तत्राब्दं क्रीडन्तो विष्णुना समम् ॥ ४२ ॥

ita ete ’tra kutratyā

man-māyā-mohitetare

tāvanta eva tatrābdaṁ

krīḍanto viṣṇunā samam

Translation

A similar number of boys and calves have been playing with Kṛṣṇa for one whole year, yet they are different from the ones illusioned by my mystic potency. Who are they? Where did they come from?

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa Surpasses Brahmā’s Mystic Power

1
Although appearing like calves, cows and cowherd boys, these forms were all Viṣṇu. They were viṣṇu-tattva, not jīva-tattva.
2
Brahmā was surprised that another assembly had kept company with Kṛṣṇa for a whole year while the originals remained where he had placed them.
3
Without touching the original cows and cowherd boys, Kṛṣṇa had created another assembly of His own expansions. Thus Brahmā’s mystic power was superseded.

Key points from the purport

Although appearing like calves, cows and cowherd boys, these were all Viṣṇu.
So who is it that is now keeping company with Kṛṣṇa exactly as before?
Without touching the original cows and cowherd boys kept by Brahmā, Kṛṣṇa had created another assembly of calves and boys, who were all expansions of viṣṇu-tattva.

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

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

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

After nearly a year, Baladeva observed that all the cowherd boys and calves were expansions of Kṛṣṇa. Thus He inquired from Kṛṣṇa and was informed of what had happened.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 10.13

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

itaḥfor this reason
etethese boys with their calves
atrahere
kutratyāḥwhere have they come from
mat-māyā-mohita-itaredifferent from those who were mystified by my illusory potency
tāvantaḥthe same number of boys
evaindeed
tatrathere

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
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.13
In this verse: “illusioned”
Sakhya · Sacred friendship
The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 10.13
In this verse: “cowherd boys”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does Brahmā’s surprise show you about the limits of his mystic power?

Practice

Write one sentence explaining why the new assembly was not a group of ordinary living beings.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Surpasses Brahmā’s Mystic PowerThis 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.

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