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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 · Text 10.4.27

Who is speaking and story frame

शोकहर्षभयद्वेषलोभमोहमदान्विता: ।

मिथो घ्नन्तं न पश्यन्ति भावैर्भावं पृथग्द‍ृश: ॥ २७ ॥

śoka-harṣa-bhaya-dveṣa-

lobha-moha-madānvitāḥ

mitho ghnantaṁ na paśyanti

bhāvair bhāvaṁ pṛthag-dṛśaḥ

Translation

Persons with the vision of differentiation are imbued with the material qualities lamentation, jubilation, fear, envy, greed, illusion and madness. They are influenced by the immediate cause, which they are busy counteracting, because they have no knowledge of the remote, supreme cause, the Personality of Godhead.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Depend on Kṛṣṇa Through Life’s Reverses

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. Without connection with Him, one becomes disturbed by immediate causes and sees things as separate from His control.

  2. 2

    A devotee understands distress as a reaction to past misdeeds, greatly reduced by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  3. 3

    Depending fully on the Lord, a devotee tolerates difficulties and sees nothing as unconnected with Him. Such dependence keeps material lamentation, jubilation and fear from disturbing the devotee.

Key points from the purport
  • A devotee understands that when he is in distress, this is due to his own past misdeeds, which are now accruing reactions, although by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead these are only very slight.
  • When a devotee under the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is to suffer because of faults in his past deeds, he passes through only a little misery by the grace of the Lord.
  • A devotee never sees anything to be unconnected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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· 1

The purport of SB 10.4.27 quotesSB 10.14.8

Tat te ’nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇaḥ. A devotee understands that when he is in distress, this is due to his own past misdeeds, which are now accruing reactions, although by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead these are only very slight.

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 4: The Atrocities of King Kaṁsa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Therefore, the ministers advised, the demigods, the saintly persons, the cows and the brāhmaṇas should be systematically persecuted. Strongly advised in this way by his friends, the demoniac ministers, Kaṁsa approved of their instructions and considered it beneficial to be envious of the brāhmaṇas.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.4
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śokalamentation
  2. harṣajubilation
  3. bhayafear
  4. dveṣaenvy
  5. lobhagreed
  6. mohaillusion
  7. madamadness
  8. anvitāḥendowed with
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.4

    In this verse: “illusion”, “material”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 10.4

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “understands”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 10.4

    In this verse: “fear”

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 could dependence on Kṛṣṇa change my response to a present difficulty?

Practice

When a small difficulty arises today, pause and pray to Kṛṣṇa for strength to tolerate it while depending on Him.

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.

The purport quotesSB 10.14.8

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 10.4's connections

Live this todayDepend on Kṛṣṇa Through Life’s ReversesThis 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 10.4.27? Get an answer from the verses themselves.