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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 ›
Canto 10 · Chapter 59: The Killing of the Demon Naraka
10.59.4210.59.44

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.59.43

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.59.32inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

गृहेषु तासामनपाय्यतर्ककृ-

न्निरस्तसाम्यातिशयेष्ववस्थित: ।

रेमे रमाभिर्निजकामसम्प्लुतो

यथेतरो गार्हकमेधिकांश्चरन् ॥ ४३ ॥

gṛheṣu tāsām anapāyy atarka-kṛn

nirasta-sāmyātiśayeṣv avasthitaḥ

reme ramābhir nija-kāma-sampluto

yathetaro gārhaka-medhikāṁś caran

Translation

The Lord, performer of the inconceivable, constantly remained in each of His queens’ palaces, which were unequaled and unexcelled by any other residence. There, although fully satisfied within Himself, He enjoyed with His pleasing wives, and like an ordinary husband He carried out His household duties.

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.

Loving Devotion Opens Understanding of Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    The Lord constantly remained in His queens' unsurpassed palaces. Though fully satisfied within Himself, He enjoyed with His wives and carried out household duties like an ordinary husband.

  2. 2

    The term atarka-kṛt means that the Lord performs what is beyond mundane logic. Those who surrender to Him can nevertheless appreciate and understand His activities to a significant extent.

  3. 3

    This is the secret of bhakti, loving devotion to the Supreme Lord. The purport also explains that His principal queens are full expansions of His supremely complete pleasure potencies, the gopīs.

Key points from the purport
  • Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī comments that the Lord was always at home except for when He had to go out to do ordinary household duties.
  • And Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī points out that since in the Vaikuṇṭha planets Lord Nārāyaṇa enjoys with only one goddess of fortune and in Dvārakā Kṛṣṇa enjoys with thousands of queens, Dvārakā must be considered superior to Vaikuṇṭha.
  • The ācārya adds, “Therefore just as the Lord of Dvārakā is a plenary expansion of the supremely complete Lord of Śrī Vṛndāvana, so His principal queens are full expansions of His supremely complete pleasure potencies, the gopīs.”

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 59: The Killing of the Demon Naraka

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The infallible Supreme Lord manifested Himself in sixteen thousand one hundred separate forms and married each of the sixteen thousand one hundred brides in a different temple. He took up the required activities of household life just like an ordinary person, accepting various kinds of service from each of His many wives.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.59
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. gṛheṣuin the residences
  2. tāsāmtheir
  3. anapāyīnever leaving
  4. atarkainconceivable
  5. kṛtperforming deeds
  6. nirastawhich refuted
  7. sāmyaequality
  8. atiśayeṣuand superiority
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

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 10.59

    In this verse: “duties”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.59

    In this verse: “household”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.59

    In this verse: “devotion”, “bhakti”

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 might approaching Kṛṣṇa with loving devotion change the way you study His activities?

Practice

Before studying today, offer a brief prayer to approach Kṛṣṇa with surrender and loving devotion.

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.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 10.59's connections

Live this todayLoving Devotion Opens Understanding of KṛṣṇaThis 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 10.59.43? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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