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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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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 25: Lord Kṛṣṇa Lifts Govardhana Hill
10.25.210.25.4

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.25.3

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Indrasince 10.25.3inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

अहो श्रीमदमाहात्म्यं गोपानां काननौकसाम् । कृष्णं मर्त्यमुपाश्रित्य ये चक्रुर्देवहेलनम् ॥ ३ ॥

aho śrī-mada-māhātmyaṁ

gopānāṁ kānanaukasām

kṛṣṇaṁ martyam upāśritya

ye cakrur deva-helanam

Translation

[Indra said:] Just see how these cowherd men living in the forest have become so greatly intoxicated by their prosperity! They have surrendered to an ordinary human being, Kṛṣṇa, and thus they have offended the gods.

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.

Do Not Mistake Kṛṣṇa for Mortal

  1. 1

    Indra accused the cowherd men of becoming intoxicated by prosperity and offending the gods.

  2. 2

    He really meant that they had offended him by taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa.

  3. 3

    Indra considered Kṛṣṇa an ordinary mortal. The purport identifies this as a gross miscalculation.

Key points from the purport
  • Of course, Indra was really saying that the cowherd men had offended him, Indra, by taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa, whom Indra considered to be martya, a mortal.
  • This was certainly a gross miscalculation on Indra’s part.

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 25: Lord Kṛṣṇa Lifts Govardhana Hill

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Similarly, these cowherd men have become intoxicated by pride and have offended me by taking shelter of an ignorant, ordinary child — Kṛṣṇa.” To remove this supposed pride of the residents of Vraja, Indra sent the clouds known as Sāṁvartaka, whose function is to facilitate the destruction of the world.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.25
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ahojust see
  2. śrībecause of opulence
  3. madaof intoxication
  4. māhātmyamthe great extent
  5. gopānāmof the cowherds
  6. kānanain the forest
  7. okasāmwho dwell
  8. kṛṣṇamKṛṣṇa
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

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 10.25

    In this verse: “offended”, “offending”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 10.25

    In this verse: “surrendered”, “shelter”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can wounded pride distort my understanding of someone’s devotion to Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Read the verse once more, carefully distinguishing Indra’s accusation from the purport’s correction.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDo Not Mistake Kṛṣṇa for MortalThis 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 10.25.3? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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