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

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Canto 2 · The Cosmic Manifestation · 10 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 2 · Chapter 1: The First Step in God Realization
2.1.282.1.30

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.1.29

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 2.1.23inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

इन्द्रादयो बाहव आहुरुस्रा:

कर्णौ दिश:श्रोत्रममुष्य शब्द: ।

नासत्यदस्रौ परमस्य नासे

घ्राणोऽस्य गन्धो मुखमग्निरिद्ध: ॥ २९ ॥

indrādayo bāhava āhur usrāḥ

karṇau diśaḥ śrotram amuṣya śabdaḥ

nāsatya-dasrau paramasya nāse

ghrāṇo ’sya gandho mukham agnir iddhaḥ

Translation

His arms are the demigods headed by Indra, the ten directional sides are His ears, and physical sound is His sense of hearing. His nostrils are the two Aśvinī-kumāras, and material fragrance is His sense of smell. His mouth is the blazing fire.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Worship the Lord, Nourish All His Parts

  1. 1

    The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam further explains the universal form described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Both teach the science of Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, and are interdependent.

  2. 2

    The gigantic form includes both the ruling demigods and the living beings under their rule. Even the smallest part of a living being is controlled through the Lord’s empowered agency.

  3. 3

    Worshiping the Lord satisfies the demigods and all His parts, just as watering a tree’s root nourishes its branches. One need not approach many demigods to fulfill different desires.

Key points from the purport
  • The description of the gigantic form of the Personality of Godhead made in the Eleventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā is further explained here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
  • The conception of the virāṭ-puruṣa, or the gigantic form of the Supreme Lord, is said to include all the dominating demigods as well as the dominated living beings.
  • The real entity is the Lord Himself, and all others are imaginary, for everything is included in Him only.

Śrīla Prabhupāda'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 2.1.29 quotesBG 11.30

The description in the Bhagavad-gītā (11.30) runs as follows: “O Viṣṇu, I see You devouring all people in Your blazing mouths and covering all the universe by Your immeasurable rays.

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

Death anxiety → Steady attention. The answer to mortality begins with spiritual focus.

Chapters 1–3 of Canto 2: The practice of hearing, remembering and devotion. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 1: The First Step in God Realization

Śukadeva describes the value of conscious living, self-control, and meditation on the Lord’s universal form.

Back to this verse in chapter 2.1
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. indra-ādayaḥdemigods headed by the heavenly king, Indra
  2. bāhavaḥarms
  3. āhuḥare called
  4. usrāḥthe demigods
  5. karṇauthe ears
  6. diśaḥthe four directions
  7. śrotramthe sense of hearing
  8. amuṣyaof the Lord
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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 2.1

    In this verse: “hearing”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 2.1

    In this verse: “material”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 2.1

    In this verse: “worshiping”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How might the example of watering a tree’s root help me focus my worship?

Practice

Offer one brief prayer of worship to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, remembering that serving Him also satisfies His parts.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayWorship the Lord, Nourish All His PartsThis 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.

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