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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 13: The Stealing of the Boys and Calves by Brahmā
10.13.5110.13.53

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.13.52

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.13.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

अणिमाद्यैर्महिमभिरजाद्याभिर्विभूतिभि: ।

चतुर्विंशतिभिस्तत्त्वै: परीता महदादिभि: ॥ ५२ ॥

aṇimādyair mahimabhir

ajādyābhir vibhūtibhiḥ

catur-viṁśatibhis tattvaiḥ

parītā mahad-ādibhiḥ

Translation

All the viṣṇu-mūrtis were surrounded by the opulences, headed by aṇimā-siddhi; by the mystic potencies, headed by Ajā; and by the twenty-four elements for the creation of the material world, headed by the mahat-tattva.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

All Opulences Belong to the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is full in six opulences and can do whatever He likes. No one can command Him, but He can command everyone.

  2. 2

    The perfections of yoga are present in Lord Viṣṇu, including becoming smaller than the smallest or bigger than the biggest. Ajā means māyā, or mystic power; everything mysterious exists fully in Viṣṇu.

  3. 3

    The viṣṇu-mūrtis were surrounded by the twenty-four elements used to manifest the material world. These include the senses, material elements, sense objects, mind, false ego, mahat-tattva and material nature.

Key points from the purport
  • In this verse the word mahimabhiḥ means aiśvarya, or opulence.
  • The twenty-four elements mentioned are the five working senses (pañca-karmendriya), the five senses for obtaining knowledge (pañca-jñānendriya), the five gross material elements (pañca-mahābhūta), the five sense objects (pañca-tanmātra), the mind (manas), the false ego (ahaṅkāra), the mahat-tattva, and material nature (prakṛti).
  • All twenty-four of these elements are employed for the manifestation of this material world.

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· 1

The purport of SB 10.13.52 quotesCC Ādi 1.3

Sad-aiśvaryaiḥ pūrṇo ya iha bhagavān. The word ajā means māyā, or mystic power.

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

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 Kṛṣṇa exhibited all the calves and cowherd boys as four-armed forms of Nārāyaṇa. Brahmā could then understand Kṛṣṇa’s potency, and he was astonished by the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, his worshipable Lord.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.13
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. aṇimā-ādyaiḥheaded by aṇimā
  2. mahimabhiḥby opulences
  3. ajā-ādyābhiḥheaded by Ajā
  4. vibhūtibhiḥby potencies
  5. catuḥ-viṁśatibhiḥtwenty-four in number
  6. tattvaiḥby elements for the creation of the material world
  7. parītāḥ(all the viṣṇu-mūrtis) were surrounded
  8. mahat-ādibhiḥheaded by the mahat-tattva.
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.13

    In this verse: “material”, “māyā”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 10.13

    In this verse: “false ego”

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 knowing that no one can command the Supreme Lord affect my attitude toward Him?

Practice

Reread the translation and pause to acknowledge that all the powers described belong to the Supreme Lord.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayAll Opulences Belong to the Supreme LordThis 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 10.13.52? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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