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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
10.59.4410.60.1

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.59.45

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

प्रत्युद्गमासनवरार्हणपादशौच-

ताम्बूलविश्रमणवीजनगन्धमाल्यै: ।

केशप्रसारशयनस्‍नपनोपहार्यै-

र्दासीशता अपि विभोर्विदधु: स्म दास्यम् ॥ ४५ ॥

pratyudgamāsana-varārhaṇa-pada-śauca-

tāmbūla-viśramaṇa-vījana-gandha-mālyaiḥ

keśa-prasāra-śayana-snapanopahāryaiḥ

dāsī-śatā api vibhor vidadhuḥ sma dāsyam

Translation

Although the Supreme Lord’s queens each had hundreds of maidservants, they chose to personally serve the Lord by approaching Him humbly, offering Him a seat, worshiping Him with excellent paraphernalia, bathing and massaging His feet, giving Him pān to chew, fanning Him, anointing Him with fragrant sandalwood paste, adorning Him with flower garlands, dressing His hair, arranging His bed, bathing Him, and presenting Him with various gifts.

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.

Personally Serving the Supreme Lord with Humility

  1. 1

    Although each queen had hundreds of maidservants, the queens chose to serve the Supreme Lord personally. Their example highlights personal devotional service.

  2. 2

    The queens approached Him humbly, offered Him a seat, and worshiped Him with excellent paraphernalia. Humility accompanied their service.

  3. 3

    They bathed and massaged His feet, offered flower garlands, and presented gifts. These acts of care were devoted to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
  • Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Fifty-ninth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Killing of the Demon Naraka.”

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. pratyudgamaby approaching
  2. āsanaoffering a seat
  3. varafirst class
  4. arhaṇaworship
  5. pādaHis feet
  6. śaucawashing
  7. tāmbūla(offering) betel-nut preparation
  8. viśramaṇahelping Him to relax (by massaging His feet)
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 10.59

    In this verse: “worshiping”, “devotional service”, “worshiped”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 10.59

    In this verse: “humility”

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 the queens’ example help me approach personal devotional service with greater humility?

Practice

Today, personally offer Kṛṣṇa a flower or a small gift with humility.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayPersonally Serving the Supreme Lord with HumilityThis 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.

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