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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 5: The Cause of All Causes
2.5.192.5.21

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.5.20

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Brahmāsince 2.5.9inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Brahmā → Nārada Muni

स एष भगवाल्लिंङ्गैस्त्रिभिरेतैरधोक्षज: ।

स्वलक्षितगतिर्ब्रह्मन् सर्वेषां मम चेश्वर: ॥ २० ॥

sa eṣa bhagavāḻ liṅgais

tribhir etair adhokṣajaḥ

svalakṣita-gatir brahman

sarveṣāṁ mama ceśvaraḥ

Translation

O Brāhmaṇa Nārada, the Superseer, the transcendent Lord, is beyond the perception of the material senses of the living entities because of the above-mentioned three modes of nature. But He is the controller of everyone, including me.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Love and Service Reveal the Lord

  1. 1

    The transcendent Lord is beyond material sense perception, yet He controls everyone. The three modes prevent conditioned living entities from perceiving Him.

  2. 2

    The Lord’s personal form is not a temporary manifestation of an originally formless truth. The misconception of His formlessness can be removed by His supreme will when the conditioned soul surrenders to Him.

  3. 3

    Devotees who are transcendental to the material modes can see the Lord’s all-blissful transcendental form. Their vision is one of love in the attitude of pure devotional service.

Key points from the purport
  • The fact is that such impersonalists are covered by the above-mentioned three modes of material nature; therefore, they are unable to approach the transcendental personality of the Lord.
  • The Lord is not approachable by everyone because He is curtained by His yoga-māyā potency.
  • The devotees of the Lord who are transcendental to the above-mentioned three modes of material nature can see the all-blissful transcendental form of the Lord with their vision of love in the attitude of pure devotional service.

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 2.5.20 quotesBG 7.24

In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.24-25) the Lord has declared very clearly that the impersonalist, who gives more importance to the transcendental rays of the Lord as brahmajyoti and who concludes that the Absolute Truth is ultimately impersonal and only manifests a form at a time of necessity, is less intelligent than the personalist, however much the impersonalist may be engaged in…

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

Uncertainty → Awe. The scale of reality widens dramatically.

Chapters 4–7 of Canto 2: The creation, cosmic Person and incarnations. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 5: The Cause of All Causes

Nārada questions Brahmā, who explains his dependence on the Supreme Lord and describes creation.

Back to this verse in chapter 2.5
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saḥHe
  2. eṣaḥthis
  3. bhagavānthe Personality of Godhead
  4. liṅgaiḥby the symptoms
  5. tribhiḥby the three
  6. etaiḥby all these
  7. adhokṣajaḥthe Superseer Transcendence
  8. su-alakṣitaveritably unseen
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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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 2.5

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotees”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 2.5

    In this verse: “material”

  • Prema · Transcendental love

    The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 2.5

    In this verse: “love”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I approach the Lord with a greater willingness to surrender and serve?

Practice

Take a quiet moment today to ask the Lord for an attitude of loving devotional service.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLove and Service Reveal the LordThis 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 2.5.20? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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