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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 10.69.20-22

Who is speaking and story frame

दीव्यन्तमक्षैस्तत्रापि प्रियया चोद्धवेन च ।

पूजित: परया भक्त्या प्रत्युत्थानासनादिभि: ॥ २० ॥

पृष्टश्चाविदुषेवासौ कदायातो भवानिति ।

क्रियते किं नु पूर्णानामपूर्णैरस्मदादिभि: ॥ २१ ॥

अथापि ब्रूहि नो ब्रह्मन् जन्मैतच्छोभनं कुरु ।

स तु विस्मित उत्थाय तूष्णीमन्यदगाद् गृहम् ॥ २२ ॥

dīvyantam akṣais tatrāpi

priyayā coddhavena ca

pūjitaḥ parayā bhaktyā

pratyutthānāsanādibhiḥ

pṛṣṭaś cāviduṣevāsau

kadāyāto bhavān iti

kriyate kiṁ nu pūrṇānām

apūrṇair asmad-ādibhiḥ

athāpi brūhi no brahman

janmaitac chobhanaṁ kuru

sa tu vismita utthāya

tūṣṇīm anyad agād gṛham

Translation

There he saw the Lord playing at dice with His beloved consort and His friend Uddhava. Lord Kṛṣṇa worshiped Nārada by standing up, offering him a seat, and so on, and then, as if He did not know, asked him, “When did you arrive? What can needy persons like Us do for those who are full in themselves? In any case, My dear brāhmaṇa, please make My life auspicious.” Thus addressed, Nārada was astonished. He simply stood up silently and went to another palace.

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.

Kṛṣṇa’s Simultaneous Presence Astonishes Nārada

  1. 1

    Lord Kṛṣṇa acted as if He did not know what had happened in the palace of Rukmiṇī. He welcomed Nārada by standing up and offering him a seat.

  2. 2

    Nārada understood that Lord Kṛṣṇa was simultaneously present in both palaces, performing different activities.

  3. 3

    In great astonishment over the Lord’s activities, Nārada simply left the palace silently.

Key points from the purport
  • In Kṛṣṇa, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that when Nārada arrived at the second palace, “Lord Kṛṣṇa acted as if He did not know what had happened in the palace of Rukmiṇī.”
  • Nārada understood that Lord Kṛṣṇa was simultaneously present in both palaces, performing different activities, so “he simply left the palace silently, in great astonishment over the Lord’s activities.”

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

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 69: Nārada Muni Visits Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Palaces in Dvārakā

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

After conversing with the Lord for a short while, Nārada went to another of His palaces, where the sage saw Śrī Kṛṣṇa playing at dice with His queen and Uddhava. Going from there to another palace, he found Lord Kṛṣṇa coddling His infant children.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.69
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. dīvyantamplaying
  2. akṣaiḥwith dice
  3. tatrathere
  4. apiindeed
  5. priyayāwith His beloved
  6. caand
  7. uddhavenawith Uddhava
  8. caalso
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

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 10.69

    In this verse: “friend”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.69

    In this verse: “worshiped”

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

What about Kṛṣṇa’s welcome and simultaneous presence inspires wonder in you?

Practice

Read Kṛṣṇa’s words of welcome again, then pause quietly to reflect on His astonishing activities.

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.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa’s Simultaneous Presence Astonishes NāradaThis 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 10.69.20-22? Get an answer from the verses themselves.