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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
2.5.382.5.40-41

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.5.39

Sthāna· The universe in order
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

ग्रीवायां जनलोकोऽस्य तपोलोक: स्तनद्वयात् ।

मूर्धभि: सत्यलोकस्तु ब्रह्मलोक: सनातन: ॥ ३९ ॥

grīvāyāṁ janaloko ’sya

tapolokaḥ stana-dvayāt

mūrdhabhiḥ satyalokas tu

brahmalokaḥ sanātanaḥ

Translation

From the forefront of the chest up to the neck of the universal form of the Lord are situated the planetary systems named Janaloka and Tapoloka, whereas Satyaloka, the topmost planetary system, is situated on the head of the form. The spiritual planets, however, are eternal.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord’s Spiritual Kingdom Is Eternal

  1. 1

    Beyond the material sky is the spiritual sky, where everything is eternal. The eternal Brahmaloka described here is Vaikuṇṭha, not the temporary Satyaloka where Brahmā resides.

  2. 2

    The Lord is all spirit, and His name, glories, qualities and pastimes are nondifferent from Him. His spiritual planets are also nondifferent from Him and are never annihilated.

  3. 3

    The spiritual kingdom has no difference between body and soul and no influence of time as we experience it. The universal form described for the material world should not be confused with that eternal kingdom.

Key points from the purport
  • In the spiritual sky all the planets are as good as the Lord Himself.
  • This material world is only a shadow phantasmagoria of the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, and because it is a shadow it is never eternal; the variegatedness in the material world of duality (spirit and matter) cannot be compared to that of the spiritual world.
  • Because of a poor fund of knowledge, less intelligent persons sometimes mistake the conditions of the shadow world to be equivalent to those of the spiritual world, and thus they mistake the Lord and His pastimes in the material world to be one with the conditioned souls and their activities.

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· 2

The purport of SB 2.5.39 quotesBG 8.20

This very idea of eternity is expressed in the Bhagavad-gītā (8.20), where it is said that beyond the material creation is the spiritual sky, where everything is eternal.

The purport of SB 2.5.39 quotesBG 9.11

The Lord condemns such less intelligent persons in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.11): Whenever the Lord incarnates, He does so in His full internal potency (ātma-māyā), and less intelligent persons mistake Him to be one of the material creations.

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
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. grīvāyāmup to the neck
  2. janalokaḥthe Janaloka planetary system
  3. asyaof Him
  4. tapolokaḥthe Tapoloka planetary system
  5. stana-dvayātbeginning from the breast
  6. mūrdhabhiḥby the head
  7. satyalokaḥthe Satyaloka planetary system
  8. tubut
  9. brahmalokaḥthe spiritual planets
  10. sanātanaḥeternal
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Sthāna · Planetary systems

    How is the universe arranged, and what is our right place in it? · Subject 3 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “material”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 2.5

    In this verse: “kingdom”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What helps you remember that the Lord and His pastimes are not ordinary material things?

Practice

Spend a minute reflecting on this teaching: the Lord’s name and glories are nondifferent from Him.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord’s Spiritual Kingdom Is EternalThis 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 2.5.39? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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