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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
2.5.52.5.7

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.5.6

Visarga· Brahmā's creation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 2.5.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Brahmā → Nārada Muni

नाहं वेद परं ह्यस्मिन्नापरं न समं विभो ।

नामरूपगुणैर्भाव्यं सदसत् किञ्चिदन्यत: ॥ ६ ॥

nāhaṁ veda paraṁ hy asmin

nāparaṁ na samaṁ vibho

nāma-rūpa-guṇair bhāvyaṁ

sad-asat kiñcid anyataḥ

Translation

Whatever we can understand by the nomenclature, characteristics and features of a particular thing — superior, inferior or equal, eternal or temporary — is not created from any source other than that of Your Lordship, thou so great.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Inquire Into the Source of Life's Varieties

  1. 1

    The manifested world contains 8,400,000 species of life. These created beings display many varieties, with some superior or inferior to others.

  2. 2

    Human beings are considered superior in human society, yet humans also differ in their qualities. The purport mentions good, bad and equal varieties.

  3. 3

    Nārada took for granted that all these beings had no source of generation other than Brahmājī. He therefore wanted to learn about them from his father.

Key points from the purport
  • The manifested world is full of varieties of created beings in 8,400,000 species of life, and some of them are superior and inferior to others.
  • In human society the human being is considered to be the superior living being, and amongst the human beings there are also different varieties: good, bad, equal, etc. But Nārada Muni took for granted that none of them has any source of generation besides his father, Brahmājī.
  • Therefore he wanted to know all about them from Lord Brahmā.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

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. nado not
  2. ahammyself
  3. vedaknow
  4. paramsuperior
  5. hifor
  6. asminin this world
  7. naneither
  8. aparaminferior
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Visarga · Subcreation

    How do living beings and their worlds appear? · Subject 2 of 10

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 2.5

    In this verse: “understand”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 2.5

    In this verse: “father”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Does the variety of living beings awaken in me a desire to understand their source?

Practice

Notice three different kinds of living beings today and recall Nārada's inquiry into their origin.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayInquire Into the Source of Life's VarietiesThis 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 2.5.6? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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