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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 53: Kṛṣṇa Kidnaps Rukmiṇī
10.53.1710.53.20-21

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 10.53.18-19

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.53.4inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

कृष्णरामद्विषो यत्ता: कन्यां चैद्याय साधितुम् । यद्यागत्य हरेत् कृष्णो रामाद्यैर्यदुभिर्वृत: ॥ १८ ॥ योत्स्याम: संहतास्तेन इति निश्चितमानसा: । आजग्मुर्भूभुज: सर्वे समग्रबलवाहना: ॥ १९ ॥

kṛṣṇa-rāma-dviṣo yattāḥ

kanyāṁ caidyāya sādhitum

yady āgatya haret kṛṣno

rāmādyair yadubhir vṛtaḥ

yotsyāmaḥ saṁhatās tena

iti niścita-mānasāḥ

ājagmur bhū-bhujaḥ sarve

samagra-bala-vāhanāḥ

Translation

To secure the bride for Śiśupāla, the kings who envied Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma came to the following decision among themselves: “If Kṛṣṇa comes here with Balarāma and the other Yadus to steal the bride, we shall band together and fight Him.” Thus those envious kings went to the wedding with their entire armies and a full complement of military conveyances.

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.

United Armies Cannot Overcome the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    The kings who envied Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma planned to secure the bride for Śiśupāla. They agreed to fight Kṛṣṇa together if He came to take her.

  2. 2

    They arrived with their entire armies and military conveyances, thinking themselves unified and strong. The word saṁhatāḥ can mean “bound tightly together.”

  3. 3

    Saṁhatāḥ can also mean “thoroughly struck down” or “killed.” They could not successfully oppose Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and would instead be struck down.

Key points from the purport
  • The word saṁhatāḥ, which normally means “bound tightly together,” may also mean “thoroughly struck down” or “killed.”
  • Thus although Kṛṣṇa’s enemies thought they were unified and strong — saṁhatāḥ in the former sense — they could not successfully oppose the Personality of Godhead, and consequently they would be struck down and killed — saṁhatāḥ in the latter sense.

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 53: Kṛṣṇa Kidnaps Rukmiṇī

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

They planned to fight Him together and thus guarantee Śiśupāla his bride. Hearing of these plans, Lord Baladeva gathered His entire army and quickly went to Kuṇḍinapura.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.53
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kṛṣṇa-rāma-dviṣaḥthose hateful toward Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma
  2. yattāḥprepared
  3. kanyāmthe bride
  4. caidyāyafor Śiśupāla
  5. sādhitumin order to secure
  6. yadiif
  7. āgatyacoming
  8. haretshould steal
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 10.53

    In this verse: “kings”

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

Does your cooperation with others help you serve Kṛṣṇa, or strengthen resistance to Him?

Practice

Before one shared activity today, pause and set an intention to serve Kṛṣṇa rather than act from envy.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayUnited Armies Cannot Overcome the Supreme 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 10.53.18-19? Get an answer from the verses themselves.