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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 10.24.13

Who is speaking and story frame

श्रीभगवानुवाच

कर्मणा जायते जन्तु: कर्मणैव प्रलीयते । सुखं दु:खं भयं क्षेमं कर्मणैवाभिपद्यते ॥ १३ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

karmaṇā jāyate jantuḥ

karmaṇaiva pralīyate

sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ bhayaṁ kṣemaṁ

karmaṇaivābhipadyate

Translation

Lord Kṛṣṇa said: It is by the force of karma that a living entity takes birth, and it is by karma alone that he meets his destruction. His happiness, distress, fear and sense of security all arise as the effects of karma.

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.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa Draws Devotees’ Attention to Himself

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa describes birth, death, happiness, distress, fear and security as effects of karma. The purport identifies this argument as Karma-vāda or Karma-mīmāṁsā.

  2. 2

    This philosophy treats rewards and punishments for action as the sum and substance of reality. Being God Himself, Kṛṣṇa was not seriously endorsing it but teasing His pure devotees.

  3. 3

    Kṛṣṇa wanted to remove Indra’s false pride and remind His eternal devotees that they need not turn toward other gods. They were already living with the Supreme Absolute Truth Himself.

Key points from the purport
  • Lord Kṛṣṇa minimized the importance of the demigods by speaking the philosophy known as Karma-vāda or Karma-mīmāṁsā, which, basically, is atheism with a belief in reincarnation.
  • Lord Kṛṣṇa, being God Himself, could hardly be a serious proponent of this mediocre philosophy.
  • Thus although the Lord’s main purpose was to take away the false pride of Indra, He also wanted to remind His eternal devotees that they need not divert their attention to other so-called gods, since in fact His devotees were already living with the Supreme Absolute Truth, the almighty Lord Himself.

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

Further reading

Chapter 24: Worshiping Govardhana Hill

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Kṛṣṇa responded, “It is because of karma alone that living entities take their birth in a certain body, experience varieties of happiness and suffering in that body, and then give it up as the karma pertaining to it runs out. Thus it is karma alone that is our enemy, our friend, our guru and our lord, and Indra can do nothing to alter the happiness and distress of anyone, for everyone is tightly bound by his karmic reactions.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.24
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-bhagavān uvācathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said
  2. karmaṇāby the force of karma
  3. jāyatetakes birth
  4. jantuḥthe living entity
  5. karmaṇāby karma
  6. evaalone
  7. pralīyatehe meets his destruction
  8. sukhamhappiness
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 10.24

    In this verse: “fear”, “death”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 10.24

    In this verse: “distress”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 10.24

    In this verse: “philosophy”, “absolute truth”

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

What draws my attention away from Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord?

Practice

Set aside a quiet minute today to direct your attention to Kṛṣṇa rather than to the material results you want.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Draws Devotees’ Attention to HimselfThis 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 10.24.13? Get an answer from the verses themselves.