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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 10.85.6

Who is speaking and story frame

प्राणादीनां विश्वसृजां शक्तयो या: परस्य ता: ।

पारतन्त्र्याद् वैसाद‍ृश्याद् द्वयोश्चेष्टैव चेष्टताम् ॥ ६ ॥

prāṇādīnāṁ viśva-sṛjāṁ

śaktayo yāḥ parasya tāḥ

pāratantryād vaisādṛṣyād

dvayoś ceṣṭaiva ceṣṭatām

Translation

Whatever potencies the life air and other elements of universal creation exhibit are actually all personal energies of the Supreme Lord, for both life and matter are subordinate to Him and dependent on Him, and also different from one another. Thus everything active in the material world is set into motion by the Supreme Lord.

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.

All Energies Depend on the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    Prāṇa, the vital air of life, is subtler than ordinary air, but it is not the ultimate source of everything. Its power to function depends on Paramātmā.

  2. 2

    As an arrow receives its velocity from the bowman’s strength, all subordinate energies receive their power from the Supreme Lord.

  3. 3

    Even empowered elements cannot act together without the Supersoul’s coordinating direction. The universe manifests when its parts are assembled by the Lord’s energy.

Key points from the purport
  • And because prāṇa is so subtle — finer than the tangible manifestations of creation — it is sometimes considered the ultimate source of everything.
  • But even subtle energies such as prāṇa depend for their functional capacity on the supremely subtle Paramātmā.
  • Thus when all these became assembled by the force of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this universe certainly came into being by accepting both the primary and secondary causes of creation.”

The purport'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 10.85.6 quotesSB 2.5.32

Thus when all these became assembled by the force of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this universe certainly came into being by accepting both the primary and secondary causes of creation.”

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

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. prāṇaof the life air
  2. ādīnāmand so on
  3. viśvaof the universe
  4. sṛjāmthe creative factors
  5. śaktayaḥpotencies
  6. yāḥwhich
  7. parasyabelonging to the Supreme
  8. tāḥthey
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

Where do I overlook the Lord’s power behind my own ability to act?

Practice

Before beginning one activity, acknowledge that your capacity to act depends on the Supreme Lord.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 2.5.32

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 10.85's connections

Live this todayAll Energies Depend on the Supreme LordThis 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 10.85.6? Get an answer from the verses themselves.