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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 8: Lord Kṛṣṇa Shows the Universal Form Within His Mouth
10.8.510.8.7

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.8.6

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.8.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

त्वं हि ब्रह्मविदां श्रेष्ठ: संस्कारान्कर्तुमर्हसि ।

बालयोरनयोर्नृणां जन्मना ब्राह्मणो गुरु: ॥ ६ ॥

tvaṁ hi brahma-vidāṁ śreṣṭhaḥ

saṁskārān kartum arhasi

bālayor anayor nṝṇāṁ

janmanā brāhmaṇo guruḥ

Translation

My lord, you are the best of the brāhmaṇas, especially because you are fully aware of the jyotiḥ-śāstra, the astrological science. Therefore you are naturally the spiritual master of every human being. This being so, since you have kindly come to my house, kindly execute the reformatory activities for my two sons.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Qualified Guidance Leads Toward Life’s Goal

  1. 1

    Society needs qualified brāhmaṇas to provide spiritual guidance. Nanda Mahārāja therefore asked Garga Muni to perform the reformatory activities for his sons.

  2. 2

    No one becomes a brāhmaṇa merely by birth. Through proper guidance, education and purification, everyone should have the opportunity to advance to the position of a Vaiṣṇava.

  3. 3

    The goal of Vedic knowledge is to understand Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, rather than simply pursue sense gratification. Spiritual guidance should lead people toward this devotional goal.

Key points from the purport
  • If there is no such institution as varṇāśrama-dharma and if human society has no such guide as the brāhmaṇa, human society will be hellish.
  • In Kali-yuga, especially at the present moment, there is no such thing as a real brāhmaṇa, and therefore society is in a chaotic condition.
  • The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore very much eager to reintroduce the varṇāśrama system into human society so that those who are bewildered or less intelligent will be able to take guidance from qualified brāhmaṇas.

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· 1

The purport of SB 10.8.6 quotesBG 4.13

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13), cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: the four varṇas — brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra — must be present in society.

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 8: Lord Kṛṣṇa Shows the Universal Form Within His Mouth

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

One day, Vasudeva sent for Garga Muni, the family priest of the yadu-vaṁśa, and thus Garga Muni went to the house of Nanda Mahārāja, who received him very well and requested him to give names to Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.8
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tvamYour Holiness
  2. hiindeed
  3. brahma-vidāmof all brāhmaṇas, or persons who understand what is Brahman ( brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ)
  4. śreṣṭhaḥyou are the best
  5. saṁskārānceremonies performed for reformation (because by these reformatory activities one takes one’s second birth: saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ)
  6. kartum arhasibecause you have kindly come here, kindly execute
  7. bālayoḥof these two sons (Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma)
  8. anayoḥof both of Them
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 10.8

    In this verse: “kindly”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 10.8

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “understand”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 10.8

    In this verse: “nanda”

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 seeking guidance that leads toward devotion rather than merely material enjoyment?

Practice

Write down one question about advancing in devotional life to ask a qualified spiritual guide.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayQualified Guidance Leads Toward Life’s GoalThis 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 10.8.6? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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