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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 52: Rukmiṇī’s Message to Lord Kṛṣṇa
10.52.3510.52.37

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.52.36

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Lordsince 10.52.30inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

एवं सम्पृष्टसम्प्रश्न‍ो ब्राह्मण: परमेष्ठिना ।

लीलागृहीतदेहेन तस्मै सर्वमवर्णयत् ॥ ३६ ॥

evaṁ sampṛṣṭa-sampraśno

brāhmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinā

līlā-gṛhīta-dehena

tasmai sarvam avarṇayat

Translation

Thus questioned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who incarnates to perform His pastimes, the brāhmaṇa told Him everything.

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.

The Lord's Pastimes Awaken Devotion

  1. 1

    The brāhmaṇa tells everything to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who incarnates to perform His pastimes.

  2. 2

    The purport explains that devotees perceive and understand the Lord's transcendental body when He exhibits His transcendental pastimes.

  3. 3

    These pastimes are not whimsical. They belong to the Lord's own program for awakening the conditioned souls' natural love and devotion and bringing them back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • The word gṛhīta may be translated as “grasped or caught,” and thus, exactly as in English, may also mean “to perceive or understand something.”
  • Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental body is perceived, understood, or in other words, grasped by the devotees when the Lord comes to exhibit His transcendental pastimes.
  • These pastimes are not whimsical, but are a part of the complex program, structured and executed by the Lord Himself, for awakening the conditioned souls to their natural love and devotion for Him and bringing them back to Godhead.

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

Yearning and danger → Marriage and reciprocity. A wider range of divine relationships appears.

Chapters 50–59 of Canto 10: Dvārakā, Rukmiṇī and royal rescues. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 52: Rukmiṇī’s Message to Lord Kṛṣṇa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The brāhmaṇa opened Rukmiṇī’s letter and showed it to Lord Kṛṣṇa, who had the messenger read it to Him. Rukmiṇī-devī wrote: “Ever since I have heard about You, my Lord, I have become completely attracted to You.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.52
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. evamthus
  2. sampṛṣṭaasked
  3. sampraśnaḥquestions
  4. brāhmaṇaḥthe brāhmaṇa
  5. parameṣṭhināby the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  6. līlaas His pastime
  7. gṛhītawho assumes
  8. dehenaHis bodies
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 10.52

    In this verse: “devotion”, “devotees”

  • Prema · Transcendental love

    The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 10.52

    In this verse: “love”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 10.52

    In this verse: “understand”

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 can I approach the Lord's pastimes as an invitation to loving devotional service?

Practice

Reread this verse slowly, remembering that the Lord's pastimes are meant to awaken your devotion to Him.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord's Pastimes Awaken DevotionThis 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 10.52.36? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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