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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 10.38.28-33

ददर्श कृष्णं रामं च व्रजे गोदोहनं गतौ ।

पीतनीलाम्बरधरौ शरदम्बुरुहेक्षणौ ॥ २८ ॥

किशोरौ श्यामलश्वेतौ श्रीनिकेतौ बृहद्भ‍ुजौ ।

सुमुखौ सुन्दरवरौ बलद्विरदविक्रमौ ॥ २९ ॥

ध्वजवज्राङ्कुशाम्भोजैश्चिह्नितैरङ्‍‍‍‍‍घ्रिभिर्व्रजम् ।

शोभयन्तौ महात्मानौ सानुक्रोशस्मितेक्षणौ ॥ ३० ॥

उदाररुचिरक्रीडौ स्रग्विणौ वनमालिनौ ।

पुण्यगन्धानुलिप्ताङ्गौ स्‍नातौ विरजवाससौ ॥ ३१ ॥

प्रधानपुरुषावाद्यौ जगद्धेतू जगत्पती ।

अवतीर्णौ जगत्यर्थे स्वांशेन बलकेशवौ ॥ ३२ ॥

दिशो वितिमिरा राजन्कुर्वाणौ प्रभया स्वया ।

यथा मारकत: शैलो रौप्यश्च कनकाचितौ ॥ ३३ ॥

dadarśa kṛṣṇaṁ rāmaṁ ca

vraje go-dohanaṁ gatau

pīta-nīlāmbara-dharau

śarad-amburahekṣaṇau

kiśorau śyāmala-śvetau

śrī-niketau bṛhad-bhujau

su-mukhau sundara-varau

bala-dvirada-vikramau

dhvaja-vajrāṅkuśāmbhojaiś

cihnitair aṅghribhir vrajam

śobhayantau mahātmānau

sānukrośa-smitekṣaṇau

udāra-rucira-krīḍau

sragviṇau vana-mālinau

puṇya-gandhānuliptāṅgau

snātau viraja-vāsasau

pradhāna-puruṣāv ādyau

jagad-dhetū jagat-patī

avatīrṇau jagaty-arthe

svāṁśena bala-keśavau

diśo vitimirā rājan

kurvāṇau prabhayā svayā

yathā mārakataḥ śailo

raupyaś ca kanakācitau

Translation

Akrūra then saw Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma in the village of Vraja, going to milk the cows. Kṛṣṇa wore yellow garments, Balarāma blue, and Their eyes resembled autumnal lotuses. One of those two mighty-armed youths, the shelters of the goddess of fortune, had a dark-blue complexion, and the other’s was white. With Their fine-featured faces They were the most beautiful of all persons. As They walked with the gait of young elephants, glancing about with compassionate smiles, Those two exalted personalities beautified the cow pasture with the impressions of Their feet, which bore the marks of the flag, lightning bolt, elephant goad and lotus. The two Lords, whose pastimes are most magnanimous and attractive, were ornamented with jeweled necklaces and flower garlands, anointed with auspicious, fragrant substances, freshly bathed, and dressed in spotless raiment. They were the primeval Supreme Personalities, the masters and original causes of the universes, who had for the welfare of the earth now descended in Their distinct forms of Keśava and Balarāma. O King Parīkṣit, They resembled two gold-bedecked mountains, one of emerald and the other of silver, as with Their effulgence They dispelled the sky’s darkness in all directions.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

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.

The Supreme Lords’ Beauty and Compassion

  1. 1

    Akrūra saw Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma going to milk the cows in Vraja. Kṛṣṇa wore yellow garments and had a dark-blue complexion; Balarāma wore blue and had a white complexion.

  2. 2

    Their eyes resembled autumnal lotuses, and They glanced about with compassionate smiles. Their marked footprints beautified the pasture, and Their pastimes were most magnanimous and attractive.

  3. 3

    They were the primeval Supreme Personalities, the masters and original causes of the universes. They had descended as Keśava and Balarāma for the earth’s welfare, and Their effulgence dispelled the darkness.

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.