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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

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
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 70: Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Daily Activities

10.70.3 10.70.6

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 10.70.4-5

Āśraya· The supreme shelter

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.70.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

ब्राह्मे मुहूर्त उत्थाय वार्युपस्पृश्य माधव: । दध्यौ प्रसन्नकरण आत्मानं तमस: परम् ॥ ४ ॥ एकं स्वयंज्योतिरनन्यमव्ययंस्वसंस्थया नित्यनिरस्तकल्मषम् । ब्रह्माख्यमस्योद्भ‍वनाशहेतुभि:स्वशक्तिभिर्लक्षितभावनिर्वृतिम् ॥ ५ ॥

brāhme muhūrta utthāya

vāry upaspṛśya mādhavaḥ

dadhyau prasanna-karaṇa

ātmānaṁ tamasaḥ param

ekaṁ svayaṁ-jyotir ananyam avyayaṁ

sva-saṁsthayā nitya-nirasta-kalmaṣam

brahmākhyam asyodbhava-nāśa-hetubhiḥ

sva-śaktibhir lakṣita-bhāva-nirvṛtim

Translation

Lord Mādhava would rise during the brāhma-muhūrta period and touch water. With a clear mind He would then meditate upon Himself, the single, self-luminous, unequaled and infallible Supreme Truth, known as Brahman, who by His very nature ever dispels all contamination, and who through His personal energies, which cause the creation and destruction of this universe, manifests His own pure and blissful existence.

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.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa Reveals Himself to Surrendered Souls

1
Lord Mādhava rose during brāhma-muhūrta, touched water and meditated with a clear mind upon Himself. He is the self-luminous, unequaled and infallible Supreme Truth.
2
Kṛṣṇa gives pleasure to created beings through His energies. The soul is never created, but material, conditioned existence arises through the interaction of His energies.
3
By the favor of His internal potency, one understands the Absolute Truth; this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When Kṛṣṇa reveals Himself to a surrendered soul, the creation that once covered the soul becomes an impetus for spiritual enlightenment.

Key points from the purport

Thus the compound word lakṣita-bhāva-nirvṛtim means that Lord Kṛṣṇa gives pleasure to the created beings through His various energies.
In Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa explains that His energies are divided into inferior and superior, or material and spiritual, potencies.
When one is favored by Lord Kṛṣṇa, He reveals Himself to the surrendered soul, and thus the same creation that formerly covered the soul becomes an impetus for spiritual enlightenment.

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

War and pride → Justice and protection. The public expression of divine power comes to the foreground.

Chapters 70–79 of Canto 10: Kingship, Jarāsandha and royal challenges. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 70: Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Daily Activities

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In the early hours of the morning, Lord Kṛṣṇa would rise from bed and bathe Himself in clear water. After executing the dawn rituals and other religious duties, He would offer oblations into the sacred fire, chant the Gāyatrī mantra, worship and pay tribute to the demigods, sages and forefathers, and offer respects to learned brāhmaṇas.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 10.70

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

brāhme muhūrteduring the most suitable period of the day for spiritual activity, before sunrise
utthāyarising
vāriwater
upaspṛśyatouching
mādhavaḥLord Kṛṣṇa
dadhyaumeditated
prasannaclear
karaṇaḥHis mind

Key ideas in this verse

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

Āśraya · The summum bonum
Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10
Śuddhi · Inner transformation
The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 10.70
In this verse: “contamination”
Jñāna · Spiritual insight
Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 10.70
In this verse: “absolute truth”, “understands”
Kṛpā · Divine mercy
Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 10.70
In this verse: “favor”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How might seeking Kṛṣṇa’s favor change the way you see the world around you?

Practice

Set aside a quiet moment today to pray for Kṛṣṇa’s favor and a more surrendered attitude in devotional service.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Reveals Himself to Surrendered SoulsThis 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 10.70.4-5? Get an answer from the verses themselves.