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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.
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Canto 10 · Chapter 81: The Lord Blesses Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa
10.81.3810.81.40

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.81.39

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.81.38inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तस्य वै देवदेवस्य हरेर्यज्ञपते: प्रभो: ।

ब्राह्मणा: प्रभवो दैवं न तेभ्यो विद्यते परम् ॥ ३९ ॥

tasya vai deva-devasya

harer yajña-pateḥ prabhoḥ

brāhmaṇāḥ prabhavo daivaṁ

na tebhyo vidyate param

Translation

Lord Hari is the God of all gods, the master of all sacrifices, and the supreme ruler. But He accepts the saintly brāhmaṇas as His masters, and so there exists no deity higher than them.

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 Supreme Lord Honors Saintly Brāhmaṇas

  1. 1

    Although Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the supreme ruler of creation, He accepts the saintly brāhmaṇas as His masters.

  2. 2

    Although He is the God of all gods, the brāhmaṇas are His deities. The Lord Himself gives them this extraordinary honor.

  3. 3

    Although He is the Lord of all sacrifices, He performs sacrifices to worship them.

Key points from the purport
  • Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī points out that even though Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the supreme ruler of creation, He accepts the brāhmaṇas as His masters; even though He is the God of all gods, the brāhmaṇas are His deities; and even though He is the Lord of all sacrifices, He performs sacrifices to worship them.

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

Humility and separation → Friendship and reunion. The sweetness of relationship outweighs prestige.

Chapters 80–86 of Canto 10: Sudāmā and reunion with the residents of Vraja. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 81: The Lord Blesses Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Sudāmā entered his home together with her, thinking that this extraordinary transformation must have been due to the Supreme Lord’s mercy on him. From then on Sudāmā lived his life amidst lavish wealth, yet he maintained his mood of detachment and constantly chanted the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa In a short time he broke off all bonds of bodily attachment and attained to the kingdom of God.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.81
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tasyaof Him
  2. vaieven
  3. deva-devasyaof the Lord of lords
  4. hareḥKṛṣṇa
  5. yajñaof Vedic sacrifice
  6. pateḥthe controller
  7. prabhoḥthe supreme master
  8. brāhmaṇāḥthe brāhmaṇas
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 10.81

    In this verse: “ruler”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.81

    In this verse: “worship”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s honoring of saintly brāhmaṇas teach me about showing respect?

Practice

Read this verse aloud once, pausing to reflect on how the supreme ruler honors the saintly brāhmaṇas.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Supreme Lord Honors Saintly BrāhmaṇasThis 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 10.81.39? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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