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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 10.56.12

Who is speaking and story frame

स याचितो मणिं क्व‍ापि यदुराजाय शौरिणा ।

नैवार्थकामुक: प्रादाद् याच्ञाभङ्गमतर्कयन् ॥ १२ ॥

sa yācito maṇiṁ kvāpi

yadu-rājāya śauriṇā

naivārtha-kāmukaḥ prādād

yācñā-bhaṅgam atarkayan

Translation

On one occasion Lord Kṛṣṇa requested Satrājit to give the jewel to the Yadu king, Ugrasena, but Satrājit was so greedy that he refused. He gave no thought to the seriousness of the offense he committed by denying the Lord’s request.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

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

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.

Greed Blinds Us to the Lord’s Request

  1. 1

    Lord Kṛṣṇa requested that Satrājit give the jewel to Ugrasena, the Yadu king.

  2. 2

    Satrājit was so greedy that he refused the Lord’s request.

  3. 3

    He did not consider the seriousness of his offense. His desire for wealth outweighed his willingness to please the Lord.

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 56: The Syamantaka Jewel

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

On one occasion Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa requested Satrājit to give the gem to the King of the Yadus, Ugrasena. But Satrājit refused, obsessed as he was with greed.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.56
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saḥhe, Satrājit
  2. yācitaḥrequested
  3. maṇimthe gem
  4. kva apion one occasion
  5. yadu-rājāyafor the king of the Yadus, Ugrasena
  6. śauriṇāby Lord Kṛṣṇa
  7. nanot
  8. evaindeed
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

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 10.56

    In this verse: “offense”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 10.56

    In this verse: “king”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.56

    In this verse: “wealth”

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

When might attachment to possessions weaken my willingness to serve the Lord?

Practice

Set aside a few minutes today for devotional service rather than pursuing something you want to acquire.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayGreed Blinds Us to the Lord’s RequestThis 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 10.56.12? Get an answer from the verses themselves.