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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
2.1.82.1.10

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.1.9

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 2.1.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

परिनिष्ठितोऽपि नैर्गुण्य उत्तमश्लोकलीलया ।

गृहीतचेता राजर्षे आख्यानं यदधीतवान् ॥ ९ ॥

pariniṣṭhito ’pi nairguṇya

uttama-śloka-līlayā

gṛhīta-cetā rājarṣe

ākhyānaṁ yad adhītavān

Translation

O saintly King, I was certainly situated perfectly in transcendence, yet I was still attracted by the delineation of the pastimes of the Lord, who is described by enlightened verses.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord’s Pastimes Attract Liberated Souls

  1. 1

    The Absolute Truth is first realized as impersonal Brahman and then, with further transcendental knowledge, as the Supersoul. By the Lord’s grace, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam can lead an impersonalist to become a devotee of the Personality of Godhead.

  2. 2

    Śukadeva Gosvāmī was already perfectly situated in transcendence, yet he was attracted by descriptions of the Lord’s pastimes. Such a person cannot be attracted by ordinary material activities.

  3. 3

    The Lord and His activities are transcendental. He is neither inactive nor impersonal, and understanding His personal activities awakens attraction to Him.

Key points from the purport
  • The Absolute Truth is realized at the first instance as the impersonal Brahman by philosophical speculation and later as the Supersoul by further progress of transcendental knowledge.
  • But if, by the grace of the Lord, an impersonalist is enlightened by the superior statements of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he is also converted into a transcendental devotee of the Personality of Godhead.
  • A person like Śukadeva Gosvāmī cannot be attracted by any mundane activity, but when such a devotee is convinced by a superior method, he is certainly attracted by the transcendental activities of the Lord.

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· 3

Quoted in the purport ofSB 1.18.16

Śukadeva Gosvāmī was also an impersonalist in the beginning, as he himself has admitted in the Bhāgavatam (2.1.9), but later on he was attracted by the transcendental pastimes of the Lord and thus became a devotee.

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 24.47

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.1.9).

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 25.157

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.1.9).

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. pariniṣṭhitaḥfully realized
  2. apiin spite of
  3. nairguṇyein transcendence
  4. uttamaenlightened
  5. ślokaverse
  6. līlayāby the pastimes
  7. gṛhītabeing attracted
  8. cetāḥattention
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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 2.1

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “absolute truth”, “understanding”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 2.1

    In this verse: “king”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotee”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does Śukadeva Gosvāmī’s attraction help me see the Lord’s pastimes as transcendental?

Practice

Reread the translation slowly, reflecting on why the Lord’s pastimes attracted someone already situated in transcendence.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

Quoted in 1 lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 1 lecture

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayThe Lord’s Pastimes Attract Liberated SoulsThis 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 2.1.9? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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