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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

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 16: Kṛṣṇa Chastises the Serpent Kāliya

10.16.26 10.16.28

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.16.27

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

तं नर्तुमुद्यतमवेक्ष्य तदा तदीय-

गन्धर्वसिद्धमुनिचारणदेववध्व: ।

प्रीत्या मृदङ्गपणवानकवाद्यगीत-

पुष्पोपहारनुतिभि: सहसोपसेदु: ॥ २७ ॥

taṁ nartum udyatam avekṣya tadā tadīya-

gandharva-siddha-muni-cāraṇa-deva-vadhvaḥ

prītyā mṛdaṅga-paṇavānaka-vādya-gīta-

puṣpopahāra-nutibhiḥ sahasopaseduḥ

Translation

Seeing the Lord dancing, His servants in the heavenly planets — the Gandharvas, Siddhas, sages, Cāraṇas and wives of the demigods — immediately arrived there. With great pleasure they began accompanying the Lord’s dancing by playing drums such as mṛdaṅgas, paṇavas and ānakas. They also made offerings of songs, flowers and prayers.

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.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Offer Your Service with Joy

1
When the residents of the higher planetary systems saw Kṛṣṇa’s wonderful dancing, they immediately came to offer their services.
2
Expert drum-playing, singing and prayers made the dancing more enjoyable and beautiful to watch.
3
They showered flowers upon Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, enhancing the artistic atmosphere as He blissfully danced on Kāliya’s hoods.

Key points from the purport

When the demigods and other residents of higher planetary systems became aware that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was personally putting on a wonderful demonstration of the art of dancing, they immediately came to offer their services.
Dancing becomes more enjoyable and beautiful to watch when it is accompanied by expert drum-playing, singing and the chanting of prayers.
The artistic atmosphere was also enhanced by the showering of a multitude of flowers upon Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who was blissfully engaged in dancing upon the hoods of the Kāliya serpent.

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

Chapter 16: Kṛṣṇa Chastises the Serpent Kāliya

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Next the Lord began playfully dancing about on the serpent’s hoods. By this wonderful, boisterous dancing, Śrī Kṛṣṇa trampled the serpent’s one thousand hoods until his body slackened.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 10.16