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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

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
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 88: Lord Śiva Saved from Vṛkāsura

10.88.2 10.88.4

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.88.3

Sarga· Creation

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.88.3inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीशुक उवाच

शिव: शक्तियुत: शश्वत् त्रिलिङ्गो गुणसंवृत: ।

वैकारिकस्तैजसश्च तामसश्चेत्यहं त्रिधा ॥ ३ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca

śivaḥ śakti-yutaḥ śaśvat

tri-liṅgo guṇa-saṁvṛtaḥ

vaikārikas taijasaś ca

tāmasaś cety ahaṁ tridhā

Translation

Śrī Śukadeva said: Lord Śiva is always united with his personal energy, the material nature. Manifesting himself in three features in response to the entreaties of nature’s three modes, he thus embodies the threefold principle of material ego in goodness, passion and ignorance.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

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.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Śiva’s Connection with Material Nature

1
Lord Śiva is always united with his personal energy, material nature.
2
He manifests in three features in response to nature’s three modes.
3
He thus embodies the threefold principle of material ego in goodness, passion and ignorance.

Connected verses· 2

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 20.246

The guṇa-avatāras are three — Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu.

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 20.312

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.88.3).

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

Awe → Reverent fulfillment. The canto closes with theological wonder.

Chapters 87–90 of Canto 10: The Vedas praise and the Lord's glories conclude. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 88: Lord Śiva Saved from Vṛkāsura

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

When Mahārāja Parīkṣit asked Śukadeva Gosvāmī to explain this puzzling fact, the sage replied as follows: “Lord Śiva manifests as false ego in three varieties, according to the three modes of nature. From this false ego arise the five physical elements and the other transformations of material nature, totaling sixteen.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 10.88

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

śrī-śukaḥ uvācaŚrī Śuka said
śivaḥLord Śiva
śaktiwith his energy, material nature
yutaḥunited
śaśvatalways
trithree
liṅgaḥwhose manifest features
guṇaby the modes

Key ideas in this verse

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

Sarga · The creation of the universe
Where does the universe come from? · Subject 1 of 10
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.88
In this verse: “material”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does this description help me understand Lord Śiva’s connection with material nature?

Practice

Write down the three modes named in the verse: goodness, passion and ignorance.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayŚiva’s Connection with Material NatureThis 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 10.88.3? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories