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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 10.3.7-8

Who is speaking and story frame

मुमुचुर्मुनयो देवा: सुमनांसि मुदान्विता: ।

मन्दं मन्दं जलधरा जगर्जुरनुसागरम् ॥ ७ ॥

निशीथे तमउद्भ‍ूते जायमाने जनार्दने ।

देवक्यां देवरूपिण्यां विष्णु: सर्वगुहाशय: ।

आविरासीद् यथा प्राच्यां दिशीन्दुरिव पुष्कल: ॥ ८ ॥

mumucur munayo devāḥ

sumanāṁsi mudānvitāḥ

mandaṁ mandaṁ jaladharā

jagarjur anusāgaram

niśīthe tama-udbhūte

jāyamāne janārdane

devakyāṁ deva-rūpiṇyāṁ

viṣṇuḥ sarva-guhā-śayaḥ

āvirāsīd yathā prācyāṁ

diśīndur iva puṣkalaḥ

Translation

The demigods and great saintly persons showered flowers in a joyous mood, and clouds gathered in the sky and very mildly thundered, making sounds like those of the ocean’s waves. Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, who is situated in the core of everyone’s heart, appeared from the heart of Devakī in the dense darkness of night, like the full moon rising on the eastern horizon, because Devakī was of the same category as Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Unborn Lord Appears by Spiritual Potency

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa and His associates are of the same spiritual potency. Devakī’s form, like the Lord’s, is spiritual.

  2. 2

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is already present in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul. Being present in full potency in Devakī’s heart, He could also appear outside her body.

  3. 3

    Although unborn and the supreme controller, the Lord appeared as Devakī’s child by His inconceivable potency. His appearance must never be regarded as the birth of an ordinary child.

Key points from the purport
  • When things were adjusted like this, Lord Viṣṇu, who is residing within the heart of every living entity, appeared in the darkness of night as the Supreme Personality of Godhead before Devakī, who appeared as one of the demigoddesses.
  • Those who are not in full knowledge that the appearance and disappearance of the Lord are transcendental (janma karma ca me divyam) are sometimes surprised that the Supreme Personality of Godhead can take birth like an ordinary child.
  • Thus although the Lord was within the heart of Devakī, He appeared as her child.

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 10.3.7-8 quotesSB 1.9.42

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.9.42), Bhīṣma, a great authority to be followed by devotees, says that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated in the core of everyone’s heart, just as the sun may be on everyone’s head.

The purport of SB 10.3.7-8 quotesBG 4.6

Ajo ’pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro ’pi san. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord is aja, unborn, and He is the supreme controller of everything.

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:

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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. mumucuḥshowered
  2. munayaḥall the great sages and saintly persons
  3. devāḥand the demigods
  4. sumanāṁsivery beautiful and fragrant flowers
  5. mudā anvitāḥbeing joyous in their attitude
  6. mandam mandamvery mildly
  7. jala-dharāḥthe clouds
  8. jagarjuḥvibrated
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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

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

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

    In this verse: “child”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does the Lord’s presence in everyone’s heart help me reflect on His extraordinary appearance?

Practice

Pause for one minute to remember the Supreme Lord’s presence in your heart and offer Him a prayer.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 1.9.42

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 10.3's connections

Live this todayThe Unborn Lord Appears by Spiritual PotencyThis 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 10.3.7-8? Get an answer from the verses themselves.