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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 11.4.10

Who is speaking and story frame

त्वां सेवतां सुरकृता बहवोऽन्तराया:

स्वौको विलङ्‍घ्य परमं व्रजतां पदं ते ।

नान्यस्य बर्हिषि बलीन् ददत: स्वभागान्

धत्ते पदं त्वमविता यदि विघ्नमूर्ध्नि ॥ १० ॥

tvāṁ sevatāṁ sura-kṛtā bahavo ’ntarāyāḥ

svauko vilaṅghya paramaṁ vrajatāṁ padaṁ te

nānyasya barhiṣi balīn dadataḥ sva-bhāgān

dhatte padaṁ tvam avitā yadi vighna-mūrdhni

Translation

The demigods place many obstacles on the path of those who worship You to transcend the temporary abodes of the demigods and reach Your supreme abode. Those who offer the demigods their assigned shares in sacrificial performances encounter no such obstacles. But because You are the direct protector of Your devotee, he is able to step over the head of whatever obstacle the demigods place before him.

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 Devotees Through Every Obstacle

  1. 1

    The demigods are servants of the Supreme Lord, who awards benedictions through them. A devotee of the Lord has no need to worship them separately.

  2. 2

    Proud of their material position, demigods sometimes place obstacles before those exclusively devoted to the Lord. But Kṛṣṇa directly protects His surrendered devotees.

  3. 3

    For a sincere devotee, impediments become stimuli for further spiritual advancement. They can increase determination and become a stairway back to the kingdom of God.

Key points from the purport
  • The demigods, headed by Kāmadeva, or Cupid, recognizing their offense at the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi, here point out the insignificant position of the demigods in relation to the Supreme Lord.
  • Although a Vaiṣṇava, or devotee of the Lord, has no need to worship the demigods, the demigods, being proud of their exalted material position, sometimes resent the exclusive devotion of the Vaiṣṇava to the Lord and thus try to cause the devotee to fall down, as described in this verse (sura-kṛtā bahavo ’ntarāyāḥ).
  • But the demigods here point out that Kṛṣṇa is directly the protector of His devotees.

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 11.4.10 quotesSB 10.2.33

A similar verse appears in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.33): “O Mādhava, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord of the goddess of fortune, if devotees completely in love with You sometimes fall from the path of devotion, they do not fall like nondevotees, for You still protect them.

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 4: Drumila Explains the Incarnations of Godhead to King Nimi

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

By the order of the sage, Cupid returned from there with Urvaśī and upon presenting himself before Indra related to him everything that had taken place. The Personality of Godhead Lord Viṣṇu has appeared in various partial incarnations for the benefit of the entire world and has given instructions in spiritual knowledge in the forms of Haṁsa, Dattātreya, Sanaka and the other Kumāra brothers, and Ṛṣabhadeva.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.4
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tvāmYou
  2. sevatāmfor those who are serving
  3. sura-kṛtāḥmade by the demigods
  4. bahavaḥmany
  5. antarāyāḥdisturbances
  6. sva-okaḥtheir own abode (the planets of the demigods)
  7. vilaṅghyacrossing beyond
  8. paramamthe supreme
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 11.4

    In this verse: “devotee”, “worship”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 11.4

    In this verse: “protector”, “protects”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.4

    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

How could a present obstacle strengthen my determination in devotional service?

Practice

Choose one small act of devotional service and complete it today despite a manageable obstacle.

5

The story around it

The stories 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 10.2.33

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 11.4's connections

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Protects Devotees Through Every ObstacleThis 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 11.4.10? Get an answer from the verses themselves.