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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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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 67: Lord Balarāma Slays Dvivida Gorilla
10.67.810.67.11

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 10.67.9-10

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.67.2inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तत्रापश्यद् यदुपतिं रामं पुष्करमालिनम् ।

सुदर्शनीयसर्वाङ्गं ललनायूथमध्यगम् ॥ ९ ॥

गायन्तं वारुणीं पीत्वा मदविह्वललोचनम् ।

विभ्राजमानं वपुषा प्रभिन्नमिव वारणम् ॥ १० ॥

tatrāpaśyad yadu-patiṁ

rāmaṁ puṣkara-mālinam

sudarśanīya-sarvāṅgaṁ

lalanā-yūtha-madhya-gam

gāyantaṁ vāruṇīṁ pītvā

mada-vihvala-locanam

vibhrājamānaṁ vapuṣā

prabhinnam iva vāraṇam

Translation

There he saw Śrī Balarāma, the Lord of the Yadus, adorned with a garland of lotuses and appearing most attractive in every limb. He was singing amidst a crowd of young women, and since He had drunk vāruṇī liquor, His eyes rolled as if He were intoxicated. His body shone brilliantly as He behaved like an elephant in rut.

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.

The Radiant Beauty of Śrī Balarāma

  1. 1

    Dvivida saw Śrī Balarāma, the Lord of the Yadus, adorned with a garland of lotuses. Every limb appeared most attractive.

  2. 2

    Balarāma was singing amidst a crowd of young women. Having drunk vāruṇī liquor, His eyes rolled as if He were intoxicated.

  3. 3

    His body shone brilliantly. His behavior is compared to that of an elephant in rut.

How it feels

Conflict and affection → Devotional wonder. Divine intimacy coexists with royal duties.

Chapters 60–69 of Canto 10: Palace life, family bonds and heroic protection. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 67: Lord Balarāma Slays Dvivida Gorilla

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Ignoring Lord Baladeva, who was apparently intoxicated from drinking vāruṇī liquor, Dvivida displayed his anus to the women right in front of the Lord and further insulted them by making crude gestures with his eyebrows and passing stool and urine. Dvivida’s outrageous behavior angered Lord Baladeva, and He threw a stone at the ape.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.67
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tatrathere
  2. apaśyathe saw
  3. yadu-patimthe Lord of the Yadus
  4. rāmamBalarāma
  5. puṣkaraof lotus flowers
  6. mālinamwearing a garland
  7. su-darśanīyamost attractive
  8. sarvaall
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

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

Which detail of Śrī Balarāma’s appearance helps me read this description with devotional attention?

Practice

Spend a quiet moment remembering Śrī Balarāma’s lotus garland and brilliantly shining form.

Live this todayThe Radiant Beauty of Śrī BalarāmaThis 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 10.67.9-10? Get an answer from the verses themselves.