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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 16: Kṛṣṇa Chastises the Serpent Kāliya
10.16.2510.16.27

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.16.26

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.16.4inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

एवं परिभ्रमहतौजसमुन्नतांस-

मानम्य तत्पृथुशिर:स्वधिरूढ आद्य: ।

तन्मूर्धरत्ननिकरस्पर्शातिताम्र-

पादाम्बुजोऽखिलकलादिगुरुर्ननर्त ॥ २६ ॥

evaṁ paribhrama-hataujasam unnatāṁsam

ānamya tat-pṛthu-śiraḥsv adhirūḍha ādyaḥ

tan-mūrdha-ratna-nikara-sparśāti-tāmra-

pādāmbujo ’khila-kalādi-gurur nanarta

Translation

Having severely depleted the serpent’s strength with His relentless circling, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the origin of everything, pushed down Kāliya’s raised shoulders and mounted his broad serpentine heads. Thus Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the original master of all fine arts, began to dance, His lotus feet deeply reddened by the touch of the numerous jewels upon the serpent’s heads.

Read the purport on Vedabase.io

From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Bow Willingly and Serve the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    Material consciousness makes conditioned souls proud of their insignificant position and reluctant to bow before the Supreme Lord.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa forced Kāliya’s heads down, just as the Lord’s energy as irresistible time forces arrogant heads to bow. We should instead become faithful servants and enthusiastically bow at His lotus feet.

  3. 3

    Kṛṣṇa, the original master of all fine arts, danced on the moving hoods with feet reddened by their jewels. His extraordinary dancing was meant for the pleasure of the young women of Vṛndāvana.

Key points from the purport
  • In the contaminated state called material consciousness, we conditioned souls become proud of our insignificant position and are thus reluctant to bow our heads before the Lord.
  • Yet just as Lord Kṛṣṇa forcibly pushed Kāliya’s heads down and thus defeated him, the Supreme Lord’s energy in the form of irresistible time kills all conditioned souls and thus forces them to bow down their arrogant heads.
  • We should therefore give up the artificial position of material life and become faithful servants of the Supreme Lord, enthusiastically bowing down at His lotus feet.

The purport'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 16: Kṛṣṇa Chastises the Serpent Kāliya

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Vomiting blood from his mouths, Kāliya finally understood that Kṛṣṇa was the primeval personality, Lord Nārāyaṇa, the spiritual master of all moving and nonmoving creatures, and he took shelter of Him. Seeing how very weary Kāliya had become, his wives, the Nāgapatnīs, bowed down at Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.16
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. evamin this way
  2. paribhramabecause of the Lord’s moving around him
  3. hataspoiled
  4. ojasamwhose strength
  5. unnataraised high
  6. aṁsamwhose shoulders
  7. ānamyamaking him bend down
  8. tathis
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

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 10.16

    In this verse: “proud”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.16

    In this verse: “material”

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

Where does pride make me reluctant to bow before Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Offer one deliberate bow to Kṛṣṇa today, expressing your wish to become His faithful servant.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayBow Willingly and Serve 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 10.16.26? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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