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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
10.2.710.2.9

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.2.8

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

देवक्या जठरे गभन शेषाख्यं धाम मामकम् । तत् सन्निकृष्य रोहिण्या उदरे सन्निवेशय ॥ ८ ॥

devakyā jaṭhare garbhaṁ

śeṣākhyaṁ dhāma māmakam

tat sannikṛṣya rohiṇyā

udare sanniveśaya

Translation

Within the womb of Devakī is My partial plenary expansion known as Saṅkarṣaṇa or Śeṣa. Without difficulty, transfer Him into the womb of Rohiṇī.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Prepares Us for Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Baladeva, Kṛṣṇa’s first plenary expansion, is also known as Śeṣa and supports the entire universe. Having prepared Devakī’s womb for the Lord, He was to enter the womb of Rohiṇī, His eternal mother.

  2. 2

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead remains transcendental even when He enters the material world. Only devotional service enables one to understand Him as He is.

  3. 3

    The purport symbolically connects Devakī with bhakti and her six sons with lust, anger, greed, illusion, madness and envy. By remaining alert to material contamination and cultivating pure devotion, one becomes fit for Kṛṣṇa’s appearance.

Key points from the purport
  • The Supreme Personality of Godhead appears in pure devotional service.
  • The Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared from the womb of Devakī, and therefore Devakī symbolically represents bhakti, and Kaṁsa symbolically represents material fear.
  • When the six sons of Marīci are killed by such fear and one is freed from material contamination, within the womb of bhakti the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears.

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· 2

The purport of SB 10.2.8 quotesBG 9.4

This is explained by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (9.4-5):

The purport of SB 10.2.8 quotesBG 18.55

Such truths cannot be understood, however, unless one is a pure devotee, for the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (18.55), bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: “One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service.”

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:

Following the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Yoga-māyā transferred Baladeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, the seventh child of Devakī, from the womb of Devakī to the womb of Rohiṇī. Because Saṅkarṣaṇa appears in order to increase love of Kṛṣṇa, He is known as Baladeva.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.2
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. devakyāḥof Devakī
  2. jaṭharewithin the womb
  3. garbhamthe embryo
  4. śeṣa-ākhyamknown as Śeṣa, the plenary expansion of Kṛṣṇa
  5. dhāmathe plenary expansion
  6. māmakamof Me
  7. tatHim
  8. sannikṛṣyaattracting
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.2

    In this verse: “illusion”, “lust”, “material”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.2

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “bhakti”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

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

    In this verse: “mother”

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

Which of these six contaminations most distracts you from devotional service?

Practice

When you notice anger, greed or envy today, pause and spend one minute remembering Kṛṣṇa instead of feeding that feeling.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevotional Service Prepares Us for KṛṣṇaThis 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 10.2.8? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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