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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 19: Swallowing the Forest Fire
10.19.610.19.8

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.19.7

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.19.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तत: समन्ताद्देवधूमकेतु-

र्यद‍ृच्छयाभूत् क्षयकृद् वनौकसाम् ।

समीरित: सारथिनोल्बणोल्मुकै-

र्विलेलिहान: स्थिरजङ्गमान् महान् ॥ ७ ॥

tataḥ samantād dava-dhūmaketur

yadṛcchayābhūt kṣaya-kṛd vanaukasām

samīritaḥ sārathinolbaṇolmukair

vilelihānaḥ sthira-jaṅgamān mahān

Translation

Suddenly a great forest fire appeared on all sides, threatening to destroy all the forest creatures. Like a chariot driver, the wind swept the fire onward, and terrible sparks shot in all directions. Indeed, the great fire extended its tongues of flame toward all moving and nonmoving creatures.

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.

The Forest Fire Surrounds Everyone

  1. 1

    Just as Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and the cowherd boys were about to take the cows home, the forest fire raged out of control.

  2. 2

    The fire surrounded them, driven onward by the wind like a chariot guided by its driver.

  3. 3

    Terrible sparks and tongues of flame threatened all moving and nonmoving creatures in the forest.

Key points from the purport
  • Just as Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and the cowherd boys were about to take their cows back home, the forest fire previously mentioned raged out of control and surrounded all of them.

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 19: Swallowing the Forest Fire

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Finally the boys found the cows and removed them from the cane forest, but by that time the forest fire had grown strong and was threatening both the boys and the cows. Thus the cowherd boys took shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the master of all mystic power, who told them to close their eyes.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.19
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tataḥthen
  2. samantāton all sides
  3. dava-dhūmaketuḥa terrible forest fire
  4. yadṛcchayāsuddenly
  5. abhūtappeared
  6. kṣaya-kṛtthreatening destruction
  7. vana-okasāmfor all those present in the forest
  8. samīritaḥdriven
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

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 10.19

    In this verse: “cowherd boys”

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 this description help me recognize the danger faced by every creature there?

Practice

Reread the verse slowly, noticing how the fire threatened all the forest’s creatures.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Forest Fire Surrounds EveryoneThis 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 10.19.7? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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