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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 · Text 10.7.32

Who is speaking and story frame

किं नस्तपश्चीर्णमधोक्षजार्चनं

पूर्तेष्टदत्तमुत भूतसौहृदम् ।

यत्सम्परेत: पुनरेव बालको

दिष्टय‍ा स्वबन्धून् प्रणयन्नुपस्थित: ॥ ३२ ॥

kiṁ nas tapaś cīrṇam adhokṣajārcanaṁ

pūrteṣṭa-dattam uta bhūta-sauhṛdam

yat samparetaḥ punar eva bālako

diṣṭyā sva-bandhūn praṇayann upasthitaḥ

Translation

Nanda Mahārāja and the others said: We must previously have performed austerities for a very long time, worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, performed pious activities for public life, constructing public roads and wells, and also given charity, as a result of which this boy, although faced with death, has returned to give happiness to His relatives.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Join Public Benefit With Worship

  1. 1

    Nanda Mahārāja and the others attributed the child’s safe return to previous austerities, worship, charity and activities for public benefit.

  2. 2

    Vedic civilization encourages practical service to the public, such as building roads and wells and planting roadside trees for shade.

  3. 3

    One should control one’s desires through austerity while simultaneously worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such activities make one pious and bring happiness even in material life.

Key points from the purport
  • Nanda Mahārāja confirmed that by pious activities one can become a sādhu so that one will be happy at home and one’s children will be protected.
  • According to Vedic civilization, one should perform activities for the benefit of the public, such as constructing public roads, planting trees on both sides of the road so that people can walk in the shade, and constructing public wells so that everyone can take water without difficulty.
  • Thus one becomes pious, and as a result one is happy even in material conditions of life.

Śrīla Prabhupāda'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

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:

Nanda Mahārāja, of course, was thinking of the wonderful foretelling of Vasudeva and began to praise him as a great yogī. Later, when the child was on the lap of mother Yaśodā, the child yawned, and mother Yaśodā could see within His mouth the entire universal manifestation.
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. kimwhat kind of
  2. naḥby us
  3. tapaḥausterity
  4. cīrṇamhas been done for a very long time
  5. adhokṣajaof the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  6. arcanamworshiping
  7. pūrtaconstructing public roads, etc.
  8. iṣṭaactivities for public benefit
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Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 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’s”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.7

    In this verse: “worshiped”, “worship”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 10.7

    In this verse: “death”

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 I combine concern for others with worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead?

Practice

Give a small amount toward a public-benefit project today, and also set aside a moment for worship.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayJoin Public Benefit With WorshipThis 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 10.7.32? Get an answer from the verses themselves.