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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 10.85.59

Who is speaking and story frame

श्रीसूत उवाच

य इदमनुश‍ृणोति श्रावयेद् वा मुरारे-

श्चरितममृतकीर्तेर्वर्णितं व्यासपुत्रै: ।

जगदघभिदलं तद्भ‍क्तसत्कर्णपूरं

भगवति कृतचित्तो याति तत्क्षेमधाम ॥ ५९ ॥

śrī-sūta uvāca

ya idam anuśṛṇoti śrāvayed vā murāreś

caritam amṛta-kīrter varṇitaṁ vyāsa-putraiḥ

jagad-agha-bhid alaṁ tad-bhakta-sat-karṇa-pūraṁ

bhagavati kṛta-citto yāti tat-kṣema-dhāma

Translation

Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: This pastime enacted by Lord Murāri, whose fame is eternal, totally destroys the sins of the universe and serves as the transcendental ornament for His devotees’ ears. Anyone who carefully hears or narrates this pastime, as recounted by the venerable son of Vyāsa, will be able to fix his mind in meditation on the Supreme Lord and attain to the all-auspicious kingdom of God.

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.

Hear Kṛṣṇa’s Glories with Devotion

  1. 1

    Hearing the wonderful events of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s life destroys sins perfectly because it is easy. Anyone can participate in this hearing.

  2. 2

    Those devoted to Kṛṣṇa enjoy topics concerning Him as transcendental ornaments for their ears. The continuous recital of His glories blesses those who heard before and those who will hear in the future.

  3. 3

    Carefully hearing or narrating this pastime enables one to fix the mind on the Supreme Lord and attain His all-auspicious kingdom. Such hearing nourishes devotion to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, hearing the wonderful events of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s life destroys sins in a manner that is perfect (alam) because it is easy.
  • Anyone can easily participate in this hearing, and those who become devoted to Kṛṣṇa always enjoy wearing on their ears the ornaments of topics concerning Him.
  • Not only those who were present at the time of their occurrence, but also Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Sūta Gosvāmī, all who have heard since and everyone in the universe who will hear in the future — all are blessed by the continuous recital of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental glories.

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:

The Lords received the boys from Bali and returned them to Devakī who felt such a surge of affection for them that milk began spontaneously flowing from her breasts. Overjoyed, Devakī fed the children her breastmilk, and by drinking the remnants of milk once drunk by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, they regained their original forms as demigods and went back to heaven.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.85
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-sūtaḥ uvācaŚrī Sūta said (to the sages assembled at Naimiṣāraṇya, to whom he was repeating the conversation between Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Parīkṣit Mahārāja)
  2. yaḥwhoever
  3. idamthis
  4. anuśṛṇotiproperly hears
  5. śrāvayetcauses others to hear
  6. vāor
  7. murāreḥof Lord Kṛṣṇa, killer of the demon Mura
  8. caritampastime
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.85

    In this verse: “devotees’”, “devotion”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 10.85

    In this verse: “hearing”, “heard”, “recital”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 10.85

    In this verse: “kingdom”

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 can you give more careful attention to hearing Kṛṣṇa’s glories as devotional service?

Practice

Read this pastime aloud today without distractions, giving your attention to Kṛṣṇa’s glories.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayHear Kṛṣṇa’s Glories with DevotionThis 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 10.85.59? Get an answer from the verses themselves.