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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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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 71: The Lord Travels to Indraprastha
10.71.710.71.9

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.71.8

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Uddhavasince 10.71.2inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

निमित्तं परमीशस्य विश्वसर्गनिरोधयो: ।

हिरण्यगर्भ: शर्वश्च कालस्यारूपिणस्तव ॥ ८ ॥

nimittaṁ param īśasya

viśva-sarga-nirodhayoḥ

hiraṇyagarbhaḥ śarvaś ca

kālasyārūpiṇas tava

Translation

Even Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva act only as Your instruments in cosmic creation and annihilation, which are ultimately done by You, the Supreme Lord, in Your invisible aspect of time.

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.

Acting as the Supreme Lord’s Instrument

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, creates and annihilates the cosmic situation through His invisible potency of time.

  2. 2

    Even Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva act only as instruments of His will. Likewise, Kṛṣṇa Himself would cause Jarāsandha’s death, with Bhīma as His instrument.

  3. 3

    Bhīma would have no difficulty acting as the Lord’s instrument. By this arrangement, the Lord’s devotee would be glorified.

Key points from the purport
  • Uddhava here explains that in fact Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself will cause the death of Jarāsandha, and Bhīma will merely be the instrument.
  • The Supreme Lord, through His invisible potency of time, creates and annihilates the entire cosmic situation, whereas great demigods such as Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva are merely the instruments of the Lord’s will.
  • Therefore Bhīma will have no difficulty acting as the Lord’s instrument to kill the powerful Jarāsandha.

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

Further reading

Chapter 71: The Lord Travels to Indraprastha

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

“King Jarāsandha can be killed only by Bhīma, and since Jarāsandha is very devoted to the brāhmaṇas, Bhīma should disguise himself as a brāhmaṇa, go to Jarāsandha and beg a fight from him. Then, in Your presence, Bhīma will defeat the demon.”
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.71
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nimittamthe instrument
  2. parammerely
  3. īśasyaof the Supreme Lord
  4. viśvaof the universe
  5. sargain the creation
  6. nirodhayoḥand the annihilation
  7. hiraṇyagarbhaḥLord Brahmā
  8. śarvaḥLord Śiva
3

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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.71

    In this verse: “devotee”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 10.71

    In this verse: “glorified”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 10.71

    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 might remembering the Lord’s supreme power deepen my desire to serve Him?

Practice

Before one act of devotional service today, pray to serve as Kṛṣṇa’s instrument rather than seek personal credit.

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.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 10.71's connections

Live this todayActing as the Supreme Lord’s InstrumentThis 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 10.71.8? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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