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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 10.2.1-2

Who is speaking and story frame

श्रीशुक उवाच

प्रलम्बबकचाणूरतृणावर्तमहाशनै: । मुष्टिकारिष्टद्विविदपूतनाकेशीधेनुकै: ॥ १ ॥ अन्यैश्चासुरभूपालैर्बाणभौमादिभिर्युत: । यदूनां कदनं चक्रे बली मागधसंश्रय: ॥ २ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca

pralamba-baka-cāṇūra-

tṛṇāvarta-mahāśanaiḥ

muṣṭikāriṣṭa-dvivida-

pūtanā-keśī-dhenukaiḥ

anyaiś cāsura-bhūpālair

bāṇa-bhaumādibhir yutaḥ

yadūnāṁ kadanaṁ cakre

balī māgadha-saṁśrayaḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Under the protection of Magadharāja, Jarāsandha, the powerful Kaṁsa began persecuting the kings of the Yadu dynasty. In this he had the cooperation of demons like Pralamba, Baka, Cāṇūra, Tṛṇāvarta, Aghāsura, Muṣṭika, Ariṣṭa, Dvivida, Pūtanā, Keśī, Dhenuka, Bāṇāsura, Narakāsura and many other demoniac kings on the surface of the earth.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Appears to Protect His Devotees

  1. 1

    Protected by Jarāsandha and assisted by many demons, Kaṁsa persecuted the kings of the Yadu dynasty, who were devotees.

  2. 2

    The Lord maintains this material world to give everyone a chance to go back home, back to Godhead. When powerful leaders hinder His purpose, He appears to set things right.

  3. 3

    The demons appeared stronger, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead ultimately helped the demigods triumph. The Lord appears to deliver the pious and reestablish religious principles.

Key points from the purport
  • The kings of the Yadu dynasty were all devotees, but there were many powerful demons, such as Śālva, who began to persecute them.
  • At that time, Jarāsandha, who was Kaṁsa’s father-in-law, was extremely powerful, and therefore Kaṁsa took advantage of his protection and the help of the demons in persecuting the kings of the Yadu dynasty.
  • The demons naturally appeared more powerful than the demigods, but ultimately, because of help received from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the demons were defeated and the demigods triumphant.

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 10.2.1-2 quotesBG 4.7

This verse supports the following statement given by the Lord in Bhagavad-gītā (4.7-8):

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

Terror → Wonder and relief. The threat of destruction yields to divine appearance.

Chapters 1–4 of Canto 10: Threat from Kaṁsa and Kṛṣṇa's birth. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 2: Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Womb

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Kaṁsa, under the protection of his father-in-law, Jarāsandha, and with the help of his demoniac friends like Pralamba, Baka, Cāṇūra, Tṛṇāvarta, Aghāsura, Muṣṭika, Bāṇa and Bhaumāsura, began oppressing the members of the Yadu dynasty. Therefore, the members of the Yadu dynasty left their homes and sought shelter in such states as Kuru, Pañcāla, Kekaya, Śālva and Vidarbha.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.2
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-śukaḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
  2. pralambaby the asura named Pralamba
  3. bakaby the asura named Baka
  4. cāṇūraby the asura named Cāṇūra
  5. tṛṇāvartaby the asura named Tṛṇāvarta
  6. mahāśanaiḥby Aghāsura
  7. muṣṭikaby the asura named Muṣṭika
  8. ariṣṭaby the asura Ariṣṭa
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 10.2

    In this verse: “protection”, “protected”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 10.2

    In this verse: “religious”, “principles”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 10.2

    In this verse: “kings”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does the Lord’s purpose help you look beyond the apparent strength of those who oppose devotion?

Practice

Spend one minute reflecting on going back home, back to Godhead, as the purpose of your life.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Live this todayThe Lord Appears to Protect His DevoteesThis 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 10.2.1-2? Get an answer from the verses themselves.