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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 ›
Canto 10 · Chapter 3: The Birth of Lord Kṛṣṇa
10.3.3610.3.39

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 10.3.37-38

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 10.3.32inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तदा वां परितुष्टोऽहममुना वपुषानघे ।

तपसा श्रद्धया नित्यं भक्त्या च हृदि भावित: ॥ ३७ ॥

प्रादुरासं वरदराड् युवयो: कामदित्सया ।

व्रियतां वर इत्युक्ते माद‍ृशो वां वृत: सुत: ॥ ३८ ॥

tadā vāṁ parituṣṭo ’ham

amunā vapuṣānaghe

tapasā śraddhayā nityaṁ

bhaktyā ca hṛdi bhāvitaḥ

prādurāsaṁ varada-rāḍ

yuvayoḥ kāma-ditsayā

vriyatāṁ vara ity ukte

mādṛśo vāṁ vṛtaḥ sutaḥ

Translation

O sinless mother Devakī, after the expiry of twelve thousand celestial years, in which you constantly contemplated Me within the core of your heart with great faith, devotion and austerity, I was very much satisfied with you. Since I am the best of all bestowers of benediction, I appeared in this same form as Kṛṣṇa to ask you to take from Me the benediction you desired. You then expressed your desire to have a son exactly like Me.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Love of Kṛṣṇa Is the Highest Achievement

  1. 1

    The Lord was satisfied by their constant contemplation, faith, devotion and austerity. Their devotional activities began with knowledge and gradually developed into mature love.

  2. 2

    To have the Supreme Personality of Godhead as one’s son requires great austerity, but to return to Him, we need to understand Him and love Him. Love of Godhead is the highest achievement.

  3. 3

    Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu freely bestows love of Kṛṣṇa through chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. By chanting and engaging in loving service, we gradually develop our eternal relationship with the Supreme Person.

Key points from the purport
  • To love the Supreme Personality of Godhead more, we want a form of the Lord like Kṛṣṇa or Rāma.
  • In this age, we are all fallen, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead has appeared as Caitanya Mahāprabhu to bestow upon us love of Godhead directly.
  • We should therefore take advantage of the benediction given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and when by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra we are cleansed of all dirty things (ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam), we shall be able to understand very easily that Kṛṣṇa is the only object of love (kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet).

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 2

The purport of SB 10.3.37-38 quotesBG 8.17

Sutapā was the son of Brahmā, and as we have already understood from Bhagavad-gītā (8.17), one day of Brahmā equals many millions of years according to our calculation (sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ).

Quoted in the purport ofSB 11.2.8

We should take advantage of this benediction and go back home, back to Godhead.”

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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:

He had appeared as Pṛśnigarbha and Vāmanadeva, and now this was the third time He was appearing as the son of Devakī to fulfill their desire. The Lord then decided to leave the residence of Vasudeva and Devakī, in the prison house of Kaṁsa, and at this very time, Yoga-māyā took birth as the daughter of Yaśodā.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.3
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tadāthen (after the expiry of twelve thousand celestial years)
  2. vāmwith both of you
  3. parituṣṭaḥ ahamI was very much satisfied
  4. amunāby this
  5. vapuṣāin this form as Kṛṣṇa
  6. anagheO My dear sinless mother
  7. tapasāby austerity
  8. śraddhayāby faith
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotion”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 10.3

    In this verse: “mother”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 10.3

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “understand”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I seeking benefits from Kṛṣṇa, or learning to love and serve Him?

Practice

Chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra for two minutes with the intention of developing love for Kṛṣṇa.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLove of Kṛṣṇa Is the Highest AchievementThis 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 10.3.37-38? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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