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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 · Text 10.20.3

Who is speaking and story frame

तत: प्रावर्तत प्रावृट् सर्वसत्त्वसमुद्भ‍वा ।

विद्योतमानपरिधिर्विस्फूर्जितनभस्तला ॥ ३ ॥

tataḥ prāvartata prāvṛṭ

sarva-sattva-samudbhavā

vidyotamāna-paridhir

visphūrjita-nabhas-talā

Translation

Then the rainy season began, giving life and sustenance to all living beings. The sky began to rumble with thunder, and lightning flashed on the horizon.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

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.

Rain Brings Life and Sustenance

  1. 1

    The rainy season began, bringing life and sustenance to all living beings.

  2. 2

    Thunder began to rumble across the sky.

  3. 3

    Lightning flashed on the horizon as the new season arrived.

How it feels

Attraction and threat → Joy and trust. The pastoral world becomes the setting for protection and love.

Chapters 20–28 of Canto 10: Forest seasons, flute and Govardhana. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 20: The Rainy Season and Autumn in Vṛndāvana

Summary of this chapter:

To enhance the description of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī describes in this chapter the beauty of Vṛndāvana during autumn and the rainy season. In the course of his presentation he gives various charming instructions in metaphorical terms.
Back to this verse in chapter 10.20
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tataḥthen
  2. prāvartatabegan
  3. prāvṛṭthe rainy season
  4. sarva-sattvaof all living beings
  5. samudbhavāthe source of generation
  6. vidyotamānaflashing with lightning
  7. paridhiḥits horizon
  8. visphūrjitaagitated (by thunder)
  9. nabhaḥ-talāthe sky
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Sthāna · Planetary systems

    How is the universe arranged, and what is our right place in it? · Subject 3 of 10

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 noticing the nourishment brought by rain deepen your appreciation of it?

Practice

Notice one plant or living creature today and consider how it depends on water.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRain Brings Life and SustenanceThis 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 10.20.3? Get an answer from the verses themselves.