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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 2: Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Womb
10.2.310.2.6

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 10.2.4-5

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.2.1-2inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

एके तमनुरुन्धाना ज्ञातय: पर्युपासते । हतेषु षट्‌सु बालेषु देवक्या औग्रसेनिना ॥ ४ ॥ सप्तमो वैष्णवं धाम यमनन्तं प्रचक्षते । गर्भो बभूव देवक्या हर्षशोकविवर्धन: ॥ ५ ॥

eke tam anurundhānā

jñātayaḥ paryupāsate

hateṣu ṣaṭsu bāleṣu

devakyā augraseninā

saptamo vaiṣṇavaṁ dhāma

yam anantaṁ pracakṣate

garbho babhūva devakyā

harṣa-śoka-vivardhanaḥ

Translation

Some of their relatives, however, began to follow Kaṁsa’s principles and act in his service. After Kaṁsa, the son of Ugrasena, killed the six sons of Devakī, a plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa entered her womb as her seventh child, arousing her pleasure and her lamentation. That plenary portion is celebrated by great sages as Ananta, who belongs to Kṛṣṇa’s second quadruple expansion.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotees Eagerly Await the Lord’s Appearance

  1. 1

    Some chief devotees, including Akrūra, remained near Kaṁsa for various purposes. They eagerly awaited the appearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and wanted to witness His pastimes.

  2. 2

    Kaṁsa killed Devakī’s six sons without hesitation. The purport explains that their births involved a curse and that, after being killed, they would return to their original place.

  3. 3

    Ananta entered Devakī’s womb as her seventh child, arousing both pleasure and lamentation. He is Saṅkarṣaṇa, belonging to Kṛṣṇa’s second quadruple expansion.

Key points from the purport
  • Some of the chief devotees, such as Akrūra, stayed with Kaṁsa to satisfy him.
  • The six children killed by Kaṁsa had formerly been sons of Marīci, but because of having been cursed by a brāhmaṇa, they were obliged to take birth as grandsons of Hiraṇyakaśipu.
  • Kaṁsa had taken birth as Kālanemi, and now he was obliged to kill his own sons.

Śrīla Prabhupāda'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

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:

After Kaṁsa killed the ṣaḍ-garbhas, the six sons of Devakī, one after another, Anantadeva entered Devakī’s womb and was transferred to the womb of Rohiṇī by the manipulation of Yoga-māyā, who was following the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord Himself, who was soon to appear as the eighth son of Devakī, ordered Yoga-māyā to take birth from the womb of Yaśodādevī.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.2
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ekesome of them
  2. tamunto Kaṁsa
  3. anurundhānāḥexactly following his policy
  4. jñātayaḥrelatives
  5. paryupāsatebegan to agree with him
  6. hateṣuhaving been killed
  7. ṣaṭsusix
  8. bāleṣuchildren
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

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 10.2

    In this verse: “child”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

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

    In this verse: “principles”

  • Viraha · Longing in separation

    Love and remembrance experienced in apparent absence. · Theme in SB 10.2

    In this verse: “lamentation”

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 can you cultivate eagerness to learn about the Lord’s appearance and pastimes?

Practice

Reread the translation slowly, noticing Devakī’s simultaneous pleasure and lamentation.

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.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 10.2's connections

Live this todayDevotees Eagerly Await the Lord’s AppearanceThis 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 10.2.4-5? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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