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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 ›
Canto 10 · Chapter 2: Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Womb
10.2.3910.2.41

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.2.40

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The demigodssince 10.2.26inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

मत्स्याश्वकच्छपनृसिंहवराहहंस-

राजन्यविप्रविबुधेषु कृतावतार: ।

त्वं पासि नस्त्रिभुवनं च यथाधुनेश

भारं भुवो हर यदूत्तम वन्दनं ते ॥ ४० ॥

matsyāśva-kacchapa-nṛsiṁha-varāha-haṁsa-

rājanya-vipra-vibudheṣu kṛtāvatāraḥ

tvaṁ pāsi nas tri-bhuvanaṁ ca yathādhuneśa

bhāraṁ bhuvo hara yadūttama vandanaṁ te

Translation

O supreme controller, Your Lordship previously accepted incarnations as a fish, a horse, a tortoise, Narasiṁhadeva, a boar, a swan, Lord Rāmacandra, Paraśurāma and, among the demigods, Vāmanadeva, to protect the entire world by Your mercy. Now please protect us again by Your mercy by diminishing the disturbances in this world. O Kṛṣṇa, best of the Yadus, we respectfully offer our obeisances unto You.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Pray Humbly, Rather Than Demand

  1. 1

    In every incarnation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has a particular mission. His appearance as Devakī’s son in the Yadu family also had a mission.

  2. 2

    The demigods remembered how the Lord had protected the world through His incarnations. Bowing before Kṛṣṇa, they asked Him to diminish the world’s disturbances.

  3. 3

    We cannot order the Supreme Personality of Godhead to do anything for us. We can offer our obeisances and pray for the removal of dangers.

Key points from the purport
  • In every incarnation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has a particular mission to execute, and this was true in His appearance as the son of Devakī in the family of the Yadus.
  • Thus all the demigods offered their prayers to the Lord, bowing down before Him, and requested the Lord to do the needful.
  • We can simply offer Him our obeisances, as advised in Bhagavad-gītā (man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru), and pray to Him for annihilation of dangers.

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

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 20.299

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.40).

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:

The Supreme Godhead is absolutely independent, and His incarnations are transcendental. The prayers of the demigods glorify and exalt devotees and explain the fate of persons who superficially consider themselves liberated from the conditions of material nature.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.2
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. matsyathe fish incarnation
  2. aśvathe horse incarnation
  3. kacchapathe tortoise incarnation
  4. nṛsiṁhathe Narasiṁha incarnation
  5. varāhathe Varāha incarnation
  6. haṁsathe swan incarnation
  7. rājanyaincarnations as Lord Rāmacandra and other kṣatriyas
  8. vipraincarnations as brāhmaṇas like Vāmanadeva
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

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

    In this verse: “protect”, “protected”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 10.2

    In this verse: “mercy”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 10.2

    In this verse: “dangers”

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 your prayers express devotion rather than demands?

Practice

Offer Kṛṣṇa your obeisances and make one humble prayer for protection, without demanding an outcome.

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 todayPray Humbly, Rather Than DemandThis 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 10.2.40? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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