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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 10.78.30

Who is speaking and story frame

अस्य ब्रह्मासनं दत्तमस्माभिर्यदुनन्दन ।

आयुश्चात्माक्लमं तावद् यावत् सत्रं समाप्यते ॥ ३० ॥

asya brahmāsanaṁ dattam

asmābhir yadu-nandana

āyuś cātmāklamaṁ tāvad

yāvat satraṁ samāpyate

Translation

“O favorite of the Yadus, we gave him the seat of the spiritual master and promised him long life and freedom from physical pain for as long as this sacrifice continues.

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.

The Sages Explain Their Sacred Promise

  1. 1

    The assembled sages had given Romaharṣaṇa the seat of the spiritual master.

  2. 2

    Although he was not a brāhmaṇa by birth, the sages had invested him with that status. They gave him the brahmāsana, the seat of the chief officiating priest.

  3. 3

    They had promised him long life and freedom from physical pain for as long as the sacrifice continued.

Key points from the purport
  • Although Romaharṣaṇa was not a brāhmaṇa, having been born of a mixed marriage, he was invested with that status by the assembled sages and thus given the brahmāsana, the seat of the chief officiating priest.

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 78: The Killing of Dantavakra, Vidūratha and Romaharṣaṇa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Then Śrī Baladeva, following the Vedic maxim that “one’s son takes birth as one’s own self,” granted to Romaharṣaṇa’s son Ugraśravā the position of speaker of the Purāṇas, and in accordance with the sages’ desires He promised Ugraśravā a long life with unfailing sensory capacity. Wanting to do something more for the sages, Lord Baladeva promised to kill a demon named Balvala, who had been polluting their sacrificial arena.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.78
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. asyahis
  2. brahma-āsanamthe spiritual master’s seat
  3. dattamgiven
  4. asmābhiḥby us
  5. yadu-nandanaO darling of the Yadus
  6. āyuḥlong life
  7. caand
  8. ātmabodily
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

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 10.78

    In this verse: “favorite”

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 carefully do I consider the responsibilities attached to a promise?

Practice

Recall one promise you have made and take one small step toward honoring it today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Sages Explain Their Sacred PromiseThis 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 10.78.30? Get an answer from the verses themselves.