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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 · Texts 10.3.1-5

Who is speaking and story frame

श्रीशुक उवाच

अथ सर्वगुणोपेत: काल: परमशोभन: ।

यर्ह्येवाजनजन्मक्षन शान्तर्क्षग्रहतारकम् ॥ १ ॥

दिश: प्रसेदुर्गगनं निर्मलोडुगणोदयम् ।

मही मङ्गलभूयिष्ठपुरग्रामव्रजाकरा ॥ २ ॥

नद्य: प्रसन्नसलिला ह्रदा जलरुहश्रिय: ।

द्विजालिकुलसन्नादस्तवका वनराजय: ॥ ३ ॥

ववौ वायु: सुखस्पर्श: पुण्यगन्धवह: शुचि: ।

अग्नयश्च द्विजातीनां शान्तास्तत्र समिन्धत ॥ ४ ॥

मनांस्यासन् प्रसन्नानि साधूनामसुरद्रुहाम् ।

जायमानेऽजने तस्मिन् नेदुर्दुन्दुभय: समम् ॥ ५ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca

atha sarva-guṇopetaḥ

kālaḥ parama-śobhanaḥ

yarhy evājana-janmarkṣaṁ

śāntarkṣa-graha-tārakam

diśaḥ prasedur gaganaṁ

nirmaloḍu-gaṇodayam

mahī maṅgala-bhūyiṣṭha-

pura-grāma-vrajākarā

nadyaḥ prasanna-salilā

hradā jalaruha-śriyaḥ

dvijāli-kula-sannāda-

stavakā vana-rājayaḥ

vavau vāyuḥ sukha-sparśaḥ

puṇya-gandhavahaḥ śuciḥ

agnayaś ca dvijātīnāṁ

śāntās tatra samindhata

manāṁsy āsan prasannāni

sādhūnām asura-druhām

jāyamāne ’jane tasmin

nedur dundubhayaḥ samam

Translation

Thereafter, at the auspicious time for the appearance of the Lord, the entire universe was surcharged with all the qualities of goodness, beauty and peace. The constellation Rohiṇī appeared, as did stars like Aśvinī. The sun, the moon and the other stars and planets were very peaceful. All directions appeared extremely pleasing, and the beautiful stars twinkled in the cloudless sky. Decorated with towns, villages, mines and pasturing grounds, the earth seemed all-auspicious. The rivers flowed with clear water, and the lakes and vast reservoirs, full of lilies and lotuses, were extraordinarily beautiful. In the trees and green plants, full of flowers and leaves, pleasing to the eyes, birds like cuckoos and swarms of bees began chanting with sweet voices for the sake of the demigods. A pure breeze began to blow, pleasing the sense of touch and bearing the aroma of flowers, and when the brāhmaṇas engaging in ritualistic ceremonies ignited their fires according to Vedic principles, the fires burned steadily, undisturbed by the breeze. Thus when the birthless Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was about to appear, the saints and brāhmaṇas, who had always been disturbed by demons like Kaṁsa and his men, felt peace within the core of their hearts, and kettledrums simultaneously vibrated from the upper planetary system.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord’s Appearance Brings Peace and Joy

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa’s appearance and activities are transcendental. Unlike an ordinary person, He is not forced to accept a material body by past deeds but appears out of His own sweet pleasure.

  2. 2

    At the Lord’s appearance, the planetary systems automatically became auspicious. Throughout the universe there were signs of goodness, beauty and peace.

  3. 3

    The brāhmaṇas and devotees, previously disturbed by Kaṁsa, became joyful and undisturbed. They could again perform their worship with peaceful minds.

Key points from the purport
  • When the time was mature for the appearance of the Lord, the constellations became very auspicious.
  • But just on the point of Kṛṣṇa’s appearance, automatically their minds became full of joy because they could hear loud vibrations in the sky of transcendental sounds proclaiming the appearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • The business of the asuras is to disturb the suras, the devotees and brāhmaṇas, but at the time of Kṛṣṇa’s appearance these devotees and brāhmaṇas were undisturbed.

Śrīla Prabhupāda'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

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 3: The Birth of Lord Kṛṣṇa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

As described in this chapter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, Hari in His original form, appeared as Viṣṇu so that His father and mother could understand that their son was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because they were afraid of Kaṁsa, when the Lord appeared as an ordinary child they took Him to Gokula, the home of Nanda Mahārāja.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.3
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-śukaḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
  2. athaon the occasion of the Lord’s appearance
  3. sarvaall around
  4. guṇa-upetaḥendowed with material attributes or facilities
  5. kālaḥa favorable time
  6. parama-śobhanaḥall-auspicious and very favorable from all points of view
  7. yarhiwhen
  8. evacertainly
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.3

    In this verse: “devotees”, “worship”

  • Prema · Transcendental love

    The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 10.3

    In this verse: “sweet”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 10.3

    In this verse: “chanting”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does knowing that Kṛṣṇa appears by His own pleasure deepen my understanding of His birth?

Practice

Reread the description of the peaceful atmosphere and spend one quiet minute remembering Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental appearance.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord’s Appearance Brings Peace and JoyThis 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 10.3.1-5? Get an answer from the verses themselves.