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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 ›
Canto 11 · Chapter 2: Mahārāja Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras
11.2.2611.2.28

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.2.27

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 11.2.11inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Vasudeva

तान् रोचमानान् स्वरुचा ब्रह्मपुत्रोपमान् नव ।

पप्रच्छ परमप्रीत: प्रश्रयावनतो नृप: ॥ २७ ॥

tān rocamānān sva-rucā

brahma-putropamān nava

papraccha parama-prītaḥ

praśrayāvanato nṛpaḥ

Translation

Overwhelmed by transcendental joy, the King humbly bowed his head and then proceeded to question the nine sages. These nine great souls glowed with their own effulgence and thus appeared equal to the four Kumāras, the sons of Lord Brahmā.

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.

Receive Devotees With Humility and Love

  1. 1

    Overwhelmed by transcendental joy, Nimi humbly bowed his head and questioned the nine sages. Receiving exalted Vaiṣṇavas with love and reverence is proper spiritual etiquette.

  2. 2

    The sages glowed with their own spiritual effulgence, not because of ornaments. As completely Kṛṣṇa conscious souls, they naturally radiated the light of the soul.

  3. 3

    Lord Kṛṣṇa is the original source of all light, and the individual soul is His self-effulgent part and parcel. The nine sages stood on the same spiritual platform as the four Kumāras.

Key points from the purport
  • Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī has pointed out that the word sva-rucā indicates that the nava-yogendras glowed from their own spiritual effulgence and not due to their ornaments or any other cause.
  • Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī has also pointed out that the word brahma-putropamān, meaning “equal to the sons of Brahmā,” indicates that the nava-yogendras were on the same spiritual platform as the four exalted Kumāra brothers.
  • It has been described in the Fourth Canto that Mahārāja Pṛthu received the four Kumāras with great love and reverence, and here King Nimi is similarly receiving the nine sons of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva.

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 11.2.27 quotesBG 15.6

In fact, everything in the kingdom of God is self-effulgent, as described in Bhagavad-gītā (15.6): It has already been described in many ways that the nava-yogendras were pure devotees of the Lord.

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 2: Mahārāja Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In answer to the King’s question, one of the nine Yogendras, Kavi, spoke as follows: “Those means of advancement which are described by the Personality of Godhead Himself and which enable even foolish persons easily to achieve perfect self-realization are called bhāgavata-dharma. This bhāgavata-dharma, manifested as service to the lotus feet of the infallible Supreme Lord, eradicates all fear for the living being.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.2
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tānthem
  2. rocamānānglowing
  3. sva-rucāby their own effulgence
  4. brahma-putra-upamānjust like the sons of Brahmā
  5. navanine
  6. papracchahe asked
  7. parama-prītaḥtranscendentally overjoyed
  8. praśrayawith humility
  9. avanataḥbowed down
  10. nṛpaḥthe King
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 11.2

    In this verse: “king”

  • Prema · Transcendental love

    The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 11.2

    In this verse: “love”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I bring more humility and reverence to the way I ask spiritual questions?

Practice

Prepare one sincere spiritual question, and resolve to listen respectfully when you have an opportunity to ask it.

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.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 11.2's connections

Live this todayReceive Devotees With Humility and LoveThis 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 11.2.27? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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