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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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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 39: Akrūra’s Vision
10.39.510.39.7

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.39.6

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Lordsince 10.39.4inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

अहो अस्मदभूद् भूरि पित्रोर्वृजिनमार्ययो: ।

यद्धेतो: पुत्रमरणं यद्धेतोर्बन्धनं तयो: ॥ ६ ॥

aho asmad abhūd bhūri

pitror vṛjinam āryayoḥ

yad-dhetoḥ putra-maraṇaṁ

yad-dhetor bandhanaṁ tayoḥ

Translation

Just see how much suffering I have caused My offenseless parents! Because of Me their sons were killed and they themselves imprisoned.

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.

Kṛṣṇa Speaks of His Parents’ Suffering

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa described His parents as offenseless and spoke of their great suffering because of Him.

  2. 2

    Kaṁsa had heard a prophecy that Devakī’s eighth son would kill him, so he tried to kill all her children.

  3. 3

    For the same reason, Kaṁsa imprisoned Devakī and her husband, Vasudeva.

Key points from the purport
  • Because Kaṁsa had heard a prophecy that the eighth son of Devakī would kill him, he tried to kill all her children.
  • For the same reason, he imprisoned her and her husband, Vasudeva.

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:

The Lord also inquired about how Kaṁsa was behaving toward their family members, and finally He asked why Akrūra had come. Akrūra described how Kaṁsa had been persecuting the Yādavas, what Nārada had told Kaṁsa and how Kaṁsa had been treating Vasudeva cruelly.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.39
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ahoah
  2. asmatbecause of Me
  3. abhūtthere was
  4. bhūrigreat
  5. pitroḥfor My parents
  6. vṛjinamsuffering
  7. āryayoḥfor the offenseless ones
  8. yat-hetoḥbecause of whom
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

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 10.39

    In this verse: “suffering”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 10.39

    In this verse: “offenseless”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

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

    In this verse: “children”

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

How does Kṛṣṇa’s acknowledgment of His parents’ suffering move me to notice others’ pain?

Practice

Take a moment today to acknowledge the suffering of someone close to you without blaming them.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Speaks of His Parents’ SufferingThis 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 10.39.6? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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