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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 7: The Killing of the Demon Tṛṇāvarta
10.7.1210.7.16

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 10.7.13-15

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.7.4inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

येऽसूयानृतदम्भेर्षाहिंसामानविवर्जिता: ।

न तेषां सत्यशीलानामाशिषो विफला: कृता: ॥ १३ ॥

इति बालकमादाय सामर्ग्यजुरुपाकृतै: ।

जलै: पवित्रौषधिभिरभिषिच्य द्विजोत्तमै: ॥ १४ ॥

वाचयित्वा स्वस्त्ययनं नन्दगोप: समाहित: ।

हुत्वा चाग्निं द्विजातिभ्य: प्रादादन्नं महागुणम् ॥ १५ ॥

ye ’sūyānṛta-dambherṣā-

hiṁsā-māna-vivarjitāḥ

na teṣāṁ satya-śīlānām

āśiṣo viphalāḥ kṛtāḥ

iti bālakam ādāya

sāmarg-yajur-upākṛtaiḥ

jalaiḥ pavitrauṣadhibhir

abhiṣicya dvijottamaiḥ

vācayitvā svastyayanaṁ

nanda-gopaḥ samāhitaḥ

hutvā cāgniṁ dvijātibhyaḥ

prādād annaṁ mahā-guṇam

Translation

When brāhmaṇas are free from envy, untruthfulness, unnecessary pride, grudges, disturbance by the opulence of others, and false prestige, their blessings never go in vain. Considering this, Nanda Mahārāja soberly took Kṛṣṇa on his lap and invited such truthful brāhmaṇas to perform a ritualistic ceremony according to the holy hymns of the Sāma Veda, Ṛg Veda and Yajur Veda. Then, while the hymns were being chanted, he bathed the child with water mixed with pure herbs, and after performing a fire ceremony, he sumptuously fed all the brāhmaṇas with first-class grains and other food.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Genuine Qualifications Make Blessings Fruitful

  1. 1

    Nanda Mahārāja invited truthful brāhmaṇas free from envy and false pride, not merely those born in brāhmaṇa families. Their blessings never go in vain.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is self-sufficient and needs no blessings. Yet Nanda Mahārāja lovingly thought that the brāhmaṇas’ blessings would make his child happy.

  3. 3

    Brāhmaṇas must cultivate truthfulness, peacefulness, self-control and tolerance, and ultimately become Vaiṣṇavas. Offering carefully prepared food to the Lord and distributing prasāda is also a blessing from brāhmaṇas or Vaiṣṇavas.

Key points from the purport
  • Nanda Mahārāja was very confident about the qualifications of the brāhmaṇas and their blessings.
  • Because Kṛṣṇa is self-sufficient, He does not require anyone’s blessings, yet Nanda Mahārāja thought that Kṛṣṇa required the blessings of the brāhmaṇas.
  • In human society, therefore, there must be an ideal class of men, brāhmaṇas, who can bestow blessings upon others, namely, upon the kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras, so that everyone will be happy.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 5

The purport of SB 10.7.13-15 quotesBG 4.13

Kṛṣṇa therefore says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13) that human society must have four social orders (cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ); it is not that everyone should become a śūdra or a vaiśya and human society will prosper.

The purport of SB 10.7.13-15 quotesSB 12.2.3

Vipratve sūtram eva hi: in Kali-yuga, simply by putting on a thread worth two paise, one becomes a brāhmaṇa.

The purport of SB 10.7.13-15 quotesSB 7.11.35

As stated by Nārada Muni, yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktam.

The purport of SB 10.7.13-15 quotesSB 7.12.1

Brahmacārī gurukule vasan dānto guror hitam. The word dāntaḥ is very important.

The purport of SB 10.7.13-15 quotesBG 18.54

Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. The word brahma-bhūta refers to becoming a brāhmaṇa, or understanding what is Brahman (brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ).

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Worry and play → Parental tenderness. The Supreme becomes the beloved child of His devotees.

Chapters 5–11 of Canto 10: Gokula, Yaśodā and the infant Lord. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 7: The Killing of the Demon Tṛṇāvarta

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Not knowing the real identity of the child, the brāhmaṇas showered the child with blessings. Another day, when mother Yaśodā was sitting with her child on her lap, she suddenly observed that he had assumed the weight of the entire universe.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.7
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yethose brāhmaṇas who
  2. asūyaenvy
  3. anṛtauntruthfulness
  4. dambhafalse pride
  5. īrṣāgrudges
  6. hiṁsābeing disturbed by the opulence of others
  7. mānafalse prestige
  8. vivarjitāḥcompletely devoid of
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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

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 10.7

    In this verse: “nanda”, “child”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 10.7

    In this verse: “pride”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 10.7

    In this verse: “blessings”

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

Am I giving more attention to genuine devotional qualities than to status or recognition?

Practice

In one difficult conversation today, deliberately practice truthfulness and tolerance.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 12.2.3SB 7.11.35SB 7.12.1

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 10.7's connections

Live this todayGenuine Qualifications Make Blessings FruitfulThis 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 10.7.13-15? Get an answer from the verses themselves.