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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 10.39.53-55

Who is speaking and story frame

सुनन्दनन्दप्रमुखै: पर्षदै: सनकादिभि: ।

सुरेशैर्ब्रह्मरुद्राद्यैर्नवभिश्च द्विजोत्तमै: ॥ ५३ ॥

प्रह्रादनारदवसुप्रमुखैर्भागवतोत्तमै: ।

स्तूयमानं पृथग्भावैर्वचोभिरमलात्मभि: ॥ ५४ ॥

श्रिया पुष्ट्या गिरा कान्त्या कीर्त्या तुष्ट्येलयोर्जया ।

विद्ययाविद्यया शक्त्या मायया च निषेवितम् ॥ ५५ ॥

sunanda-nanda-pramukhaiḥ

parṣadaiḥ sanakādibhiḥ

sureśair brahma-rudrādyair

navabhiś ca dvijottamaiḥ

prahrāda-nārada-vasu

pramukhair bhāgavatottamaiḥ

stūyamānaṁ pṛthag-bhāvair

vacobhir amalātmabhiḥ

śriyā puṣṭyā girā kāntyā

kīrtyā tuṣṭyelayorjayā

vidyayāvidyayā śaktyā

māyayā ca niṣevitam

Translation

Encircling the Lord and worshiping Him were Nanda, Sunanda and His other personal attendants; Sanaka and the other Kumāras; Brahmā, Rudra and other chief demigods; the nine chief brāhmaṇas; and the best of the saintly devotees, headed by Prahlāda, Nārada and Uparicara Vasu. Each of these great personalities was worshiping the Lord by chanting sanctified words of praise in his own unique mood. Also in attendance were the Lord’s principal internal potencies — Śrī, Puṣṭi, Gīr, Kānti, Kīrti, Tuṣṭi, Ilā and Ūrjā — as were His material potencies Vidyā, Avidyā and Māyā, and His internal pleasure potency, Śakti.

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.

All Gather to Worship the Lord

  1. 1

    The Lord’s attendants, chief demigods, brāhmaṇas and saintly devotees surrounded and worshiped Him. Each offered sanctified words of praise in his own unique mood.

  2. 2

    Śrī, Puṣṭi, Gīr, Kānti, Kīrti and Tuṣṭi represent the Lord’s six opulences: wealth, strength, knowledge, beauty, fame and renunciation. Ilā is His bhū-śakti, and Ūrjā is His internal potency for performing pastimes, expanding as the tulasī plant in this world.

  3. 3

    Vidyā and Avidyā cause liberation and bondage, respectively, while Śakti is the Lord’s internal pleasure potency. The purport explains that Lord Viṣṇu was being served by all these personified potencies.

Key points from the purport
  • Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains the Lord’s potencies mentioned in these verses: “Śrī is the potency of wealth; Puṣṭi that of strength; Gīr, knowledge; Kānti, beauty; Kīrti, fame; and Tuṣṭi, renunciation.
  • Ilā is His bhū-śakti, also known as sandhinī, the internal potency of whom the element earth is an expansion.
  • Śakti is His internal pleasure potency, hlādinī, and Māyā is an internal potency who is the basis of Vidyā and Avidyā.

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

Anxiety and conflict → Liberation and joy. Heroic victory is complicated by separation from Vraja.

Chapters 39–45 of Canto 10: Mathurā, Kaṁsa and reunion with parents. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 39: Akrūra’s Vision

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Serving Him were His many potencies, such as Śrī, Puṣṭi and Ilā, while Brahmā and other demigods sang His praises. Akrūra rejoiced at this vision and, joining his palms in supplication, began to pray to the Supreme Lord in a voice choked with emotion.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.39
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sunanda-nanda-pramukhaiḥheaded by Sunanda and Nanda
  2. parṣadaiḥby His personal attendants
  3. sanaka-ādibhiḥby Sanaka Kumāra and his brothers
  4. sura-īśaiḥby the chief demigods
  5. brahma-rudra-ādyaiḥheaded by Brahmā and Rudra
  6. navabhiḥnine
  7. caand
  8. dvija-uttamaiḥby the chief brāhmaṇas (headed by Marīci)
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.39

    In this verse: “māyā”, “material”, “wealth”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.39

    In this verse: “devotees”, “worshiping”, “worshiped”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 10.39

    In this verse: “nanda”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does this gathering teach you about making worship and service to the Lord your goal?

Practice

Offer a short prayer praising the Lord for one of His six opulences.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

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

Live this todayAll Gather to Worship the LordThis 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 10.39.53-55? Get an answer from the verses themselves.