1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by canto and chapter

Canto

Canto 10 · The Summum Bonum · 90 chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

How to study this verse, in six steps

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
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 23: The Brāhmaṇas’ Wives Blessed

10.23.45 10.23.47

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.23.46

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:The brāhmaṇassince 10.23.40inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

अन्यथा पूर्णकामस्य कैवल्याद्यशिषां पते: ।

ईशितव्यै: किमस्माभिरीशस्यैतद् विडम्बनम् ॥ ४६ ॥

anyathā pūrṇa-kāmasya

kaivalyādy-aśiṣāṁ pateḥ

īśitavyaiḥ kim asmābhir

īśasyaitad viḍambanam

Translation

Otherwise, why would the supreme controller — whose every desire is already fulfilled and who is the master of liberation and all other transcendental benedictions — enact this pretense with us, who are always to be controlled by Him?

Read the purport on Vedabase.io

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.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Supreme Lord Humbly Requests Food

1
Lord Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller, whose every desire is already fulfilled. He is the master of liberation and all other transcendental benedictions.
2
Although He is the Absolute Truth, He humbly sent His cowherd boyfriends to beg food from the brāhmaṇas.
3
Through this request, He exposed the brāhmaṇas’ foolish arrogance. By attracting their wives to surrender at His lotus feet, He established the glories of His transcendental beauty.

Key points from the purport

Although Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth, He humbly sent His cowherd boyfriends to beg food from the brāhmaṇas.
In so doing, He exposed the brāhmaṇas’ foolish arrogance and established the glories of His own transcendental beauty by attracting their very wives to surrender at His lotus feet.

The purport'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

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

Chapter 23: The Brāhmaṇas’ Wives Blessed

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

“Since Lord Kṛṣṇa’s every desire is completely fulfilled, His begging for food was simply an act of mercy toward us brāhmaṇas. All the fruits of Vedic sacrifice — and indeed all things on earth — are His opulences, yet out of ignorance we could not appreciate this fact.”

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 10.23

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

anyathāotherwise
pūrṇa-kāmasyaof Him whose every possible desire is fulfilled
kaivalyaof liberation
ādiand others
āśiṣāmbenedictions
pateḥthe master
īśitavyaiḥwith those who are meant to be controlled
kimwhat

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
Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender
Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 10.23
In this verse: “surrender”
Jñāna · Spiritual insight
Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 10.23
In this verse: “absolute truth”

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

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does Kṛṣṇa’s humble request help me recognize my own pride?

Practice

Offer a brief prayer asking to give up arrogance and surrender at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Supreme Lord Humbly Requests FoodThis 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 10.23.46? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories