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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 11 · General History · 31 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 11.1.2

Who is speaking and story frame

ये कोपिता: सुबहु पाण्डुसुता: सपत्नै-

र्दुर्द्यूतहेलनकचग्रहणादिभिस्तान् ।

कृत्वा निमित्तमितरेतरत: समेतान्

हत्वा नृपान् निरहरत् क्षितिभारमीश: ॥ २ ॥

ye kopitāḥ su-bahu pāṇḍu-sutāḥ sapatnair

durdyūta-helana-kaca-grahaṇādibhis tān

kṛtvā nimittam itaretarataḥ sametān

hatvā nṛpān niraharat kṣiti-bhāram īśaḥ

Translation

Because the sons of Pāṇḍu were enraged by the numerous offenses of their enemies, such as duplicitous gambling, verbal insults, the seizing of Draupadī’s hair, and many other cruel transgressions, the Supreme Lord engaged those Pāṇḍavas as the immediate cause to execute His will. On the pretext of the Battle of Kurukṣetra, Lord Kṛṣṇa arranged for all the kings who were burdening the earth to assemble with their armies on opposite sides of the battlefield, and when the Lord killed them through the agency of war, the earth was relieved of its burden.

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.

Kṛṣṇa Protects and Empowers His Devotees

  1. 1

    The Pāṇḍavas endured repeated cruelty from their enemies. Throughout these dangers, Kṛṣṇa protected them because they were fully surrendered to Him and knew no other shelter.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa empowered Arjuna and the other Pāṇḍavas to remove the impious kings. Acting personally, through Balarāma, and through His devotees, He reestablished religious principles.

  3. 3

    Some great devotees appeared to oppose the Lord but returned to His abode in their original spiritual bodies when killed. Because God is absolute, His killing both removes demons and encourages His pure devotees.

Key points from the purport
  • Throughout these dangers, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa constantly protected the Pāṇḍavas, who were fully surrendered to Him and who knew no shelter other than Him.
  • But as stated here, kṛtvā nimittam: the Lord did not personally kill, but empowered His devotees Arjuna and the other Pāṇḍavas to remove the impious kings.
  • Thus acting personally and through His immediate expansion Balarāma, as well as by empowering His pure devotees such as the Pāṇḍavas, Kṛṣṇa fully displayed the pastimes of the yugāvatāra by reestablishing religious principles and ridding the world of demons.

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 11.1.2 quotesSB 1.9.39

But as described in the First Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.9.39) by the words hatā gatāḥ svarūpam, many great devotees played with the Lord as enemies and upon being killed by Kṛṣṇa returned immediately to His abode in the spiritual sky in their original spiritual bodies.

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

Foreboding → Devotional urgency. Uddhava realizes that Kṛṣṇa's visible association is nearing an end.

Chapters 1–6 of Canto 11: The Yadu curse, the nine Yogendras and farewell signs. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 1: The Curse upon the Yadu Dynasty

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa expertly arranged the great Kurukṣetra battle between the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas and thus removed to a great extent the earth’s burden. But the Supreme Lord, whose influence is inconceivable, was not yet satisfied, because of the continued presence of the undefeatable Yadu family.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.1
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yethey who
  2. kopitāḥwere angered
  3. su-bahuexcessively, time and time again
  4. pāṇḍu-sutāḥthe sons of Pāṇḍu
  5. sapatnaiḥby their enemies
  6. duḥ-dyūtaby duplicitous gambling
  7. helanainsults
  8. kaca-grahaṇagrabbing the hair (of Draupadī)
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

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 11.1

    In this verse: “religious”, “principles”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 11.1

    In this verse: “offenses”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 11.1

    In this verse: “kings”

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

What can the Pāṇḍavas’ reliance on Kṛṣṇa teach me about seeking shelter during difficulty?

Practice

Take a quiet moment to tell Kṛṣṇa about one difficulty and ask for help to remain devoted to His service.

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.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Protects and Empowers His DevoteesThis 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 11.1.2? Get an answer from the verses themselves.