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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 ›
Canto 10 · Chapter 85: Lord Kṛṣṇa Instructs Vasudeva and Retrieves Devakī’s Sons
10.85.410.85.6

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.85.5

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Vasudevasince 10.85.3inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

एतन्नानाविधं विश्वमात्मसृष्टमधोक्षज ।

आत्मनानुप्रविश्यात्मन् प्राणो जीवो बिभर्ष्यज ॥ ५ ॥

etan nānā-vidhaṁ viśvam

ātma-sṛṣṭam adhokṣaja

ātmanānupraviśyātman

prāṇo jīvo bibharṣy aja

Translation

O transcendental Lord, from Yourself You created this entire variegated universe, and then You entered within it in Your personal form as the Supersoul. In this way, O unborn Supreme Soul, as the life force and consciousness of everyone, You maintain the creation.

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 Supersoul Guides and Maintains Creation

  1. 1

    The Lord creates the universe from Himself and enters it as Paramātmā, the Supersoul, accepting creation as His universal body.

  2. 2

    No jīva can independently maintain a body. The Paramātmā accompanies the living soul there for guidance.

  3. 3

    Brahmā accepts the whole material energy as his body, with Viṣṇu accompanying him as Paramātmā. His work of organizing creation depends on the Lord’s expansions as the energies of action and consciousness.

Key points from the purport
  • When creating the material universe, the Lord expands Himself as the Paramātmā, or Supersoul, and accepts the creation as His universal body.
  • Thus Brahmā is the jīva embodied by the universe, and Viṣṇu is the Paramātmā who joins him.
  • Brahmā must organize the specific manifestations of creation, but he cannot begin to do so until Lord Viṣṇu expands Himself again into the subtle energy of action — which is the sūtra-tattva, or original vital air — and also into the creative energy of consciousness, buddhi-tattva.

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 85: Lord Kṛṣṇa Instructs Vasudeva and Retrieves Devakī’s Sons

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Having heard the visiting sages glorify Kṛṣṇa, Vasudeva ceased to regard Him and Balarāma as his sons and began praising Their omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. After glorifying his sons, Vasudeva fell at Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet and begged Him to drive away the conception that the Lord was his son.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.85
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. etatthis
  2. nānā-vidhamvariegated
  3. viśvamuniverse
  4. ātmafrom Yourself
  5. sṛṣṭamcreated
  6. adhokṣajaO transcendental Lord
  7. ātmanāin Your manifestation (as the Paramātmā)
  8. anupraviśyaentering within
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.85

    In this verse: “material”

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 does knowing that the Supersoul accompanies and guides the living soul affect my sense of independence?

Practice

Pause for a minute today to acknowledge the Lord’s presence and your dependence on His guidance.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Supersoul Guides and Maintains CreationThis 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 10.85.5? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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