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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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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
10.13.5210.13.54

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.13.53

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

कालस्वभावसंस्कारकामकर्मगुणादिभि: ।

स्वमहिध्वस्तमहिभिर्मूर्तिमद्भ‍िरुपासिता: ॥ ५३ ॥

kāla-svabhāva-saṁskāra-

kāma-karma-guṇādibhiḥ

sva-mahi-dhvasta-mahibhir

mūrtimadbhir upāsitāḥ

Translation

Then Lord Brahmā saw that kāla (the time factor), svabhāva (one’s own nature by association), saṁskāra (reformation), kāma (desire), karma (fruitive activity) and the guṇas (the three modes of material nature), their own independence being completely subordinate to the potency of the Lord, had all taken forms and were also worshiping those viṣṇu-mūrtis.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa Alone Is the Supreme Master

  1. 1

    Time, nature, reformation, desire, fruitive activity and the material modes all appeared in forms worshiping the viṣṇu-mūrtis. Their independence was completely subordinate to the Lord’s potency.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa is the only supreme master, and everyone else is His servant. Understanding that everything acts and moves by His supreme desire is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

  3. 3

    Hearing and discussing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam subdues the lower modes, while association with devotees changes our habits and nature. Human life offers a special opportunity for purification through devotional service to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

Key points from the purport
  • Svabhāva, or one’s own nature, is formed according to the association of the material qualities.
  • Such purification can be achieved very easily by rādhā-kṛṣṇa-bhajana, devotional service rendered to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, hari hari viphale janama goṅāinu, indicating that unless one worships Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, one’s human form of life is wasted.
  • Kāla, or the time factor, agitates the modes of material nature, and svabhāva is the result of association with these modes.

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· 5

The purport of SB 10.13.53 quotesSB 10.14.14

Indeed, You are the original Nārāyaṇa.”

The purport of SB 10.13.53 quotesBG 13.22

Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ’sya sad-asad-yoni janmasu. Sat and asat-svabhāva — one’s higher or lower nature — is formed by association with the different qualities, namely sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa.

The purport of SB 10.13.53 quotesSB 1.2.18

Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. All the activities of Kṛṣṇa described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, beginning even with the pastimes concerning Pūtanā, are transcendental.

The purport of SB 10.13.53 quotesSB 1.2.19

Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. Tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa increase lust and greed, which implicate a living entity in such a way that he must exist in this material world in many, many forms.

The purport of SB 10.13.53 quotesSB 1.2.7

Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ/ janayaty āśu vairāgyam. By engagement in the service of Vāsudeva, one very quickly renounces material life.

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. kālaby the time factor
  2. svabhāvaown nature
  3. saṁskārareformation
  4. kāmadesire
  5. karmafruitive action
  6. guṇathe three modes of material nature
  7. ādibhiḥand by others
  8. sva-mahi-dhvasta-mahibhiḥwhose own independence was subordinate to the potency of the Lord
  9. mūrti-madbhiḥpossessing form
  10. upāsitāḥwere being worshiped
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.13

    In this verse: “worshiping”, “devotional service”, “devotees”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “material”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 10.13

    In this verse: “hearing”

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 association is shaping my habits, and how can it help me serve Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Spend five minutes discussing Kṛṣṇa’s activities from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with a devotee.

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 10.14.14SB 1.2.18

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 10.13's connections

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Alone Is the Supreme MasterThis 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 10.13.53? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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