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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 4: The Atrocities of King Kaṁsa
10.4.910.4.12

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 10.4.10-11

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.4.7inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

दिव्यस्रगम्बरालेपरत्नाभरणभूषिता ।

धनु:शूलेषुचर्मासिशङ्खचक्रगदाधरा ॥ १० ॥

सिद्धचारणगन्धर्वैरप्सर:किन्नरोरगै: ।

उपाहृतोरुबलिभि: स्तूयमानेदमब्रवीत् ॥ ११ ॥

divya-srag-ambarālepa-

ratnābharaṇa-bhūṣitā

dhanuḥ-śūleṣu-carmāsi-

śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dharā

siddha-cāraṇa-gandharvair

apsaraḥ-kinnaroragaiḥ

upāhṛtoru-balibhiḥ

stūyamānedam abravīt

Translation

The goddess Durgā was decorated with flower garlands, smeared with sandalwood pulp and dressed with excellent garments and ornaments made of valuable jewels. Holding in her hands a bow, a trident, arrows, a shield, a sword, a conchshell, a disc and a club, and being praised by celestial beings like Apsarās, Kinnaras, Uragas, Siddhas, Cāraṇas and Gandharvas, who worshiped her with all kinds of presentations, she spoke as follows.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

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

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Durgā Appears In Celestial Splendor

  1. 1

    Durgā was adorned with flower garlands, sandalwood pulp, excellent garments and valuable jeweled ornaments.

  2. 2

    She held a bow, trident, arrows, shield, sword, conchshell, disc and club.

  3. 3

    Apsarās, Kinnaras, Uragas, Siddhas, Cāraṇas and Gandharvas praised her and worshiped her with many offerings. Amid this worship, she began to speak.

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 4: The Atrocities of King Kaṁsa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Unfortunately for Kaṁsa, however, the newborn child slipped away from his hands, rose above his head and appeared as the eight-armed form of Durgā. Durgā then told Kaṁsa, “The enemy you contemplate has taken birth somewhere else.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.4
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. divya-srak-ambara-ālepashe then assumed the form of a demigoddess, completely decorated with sandalwood pulp, flower garlands and a nice dress
  2. ratna-ābharaṇa-bhūṣitādecorated with ornaments of valuable jewels
  3. dhanuḥ-śūla-iṣu-carma-asiwith bow, trident, arrows, shield and sword
  4. śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dharāand holding the weapons of Viṣṇu (conchshell, disc and club)
  5. siddha-cāraṇa-gandharvaiḥby the Siddhas, Cāraṇas and Gandharvas
  6. apsaraḥ-kinnara-uragaiḥand by the Apsarās, Kinnaras and Uragas
  7. upāhṛta-uru-balibhiḥwho brought all kinds of presentations to her
  8. stūyamānābeing praised
  9. idamthese words
  10. abravītshe said
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.4

    In this verse: “worshiped”

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

Which detail of this description helps me read the scene more attentively?

Practice

Read the translation slowly today and recall one detail each of Durgā’s adornments, weapons and reception.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDurgā Appears In Celestial SplendorThis 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 10.4.10-11? Get an answer from the verses themselves.