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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
2.5.62.5.8

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.5.7

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
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

स भवानचरद् घोरं यत् तप: सुसमाहित: ।

तेन खेदयसे नस्त्वं पराशङ्कां च यच्छसि ॥ ७ ॥

sa bhavān acarad ghoraṁ

yat tapaḥ susamāhitaḥ

tena khedayase nas tvaṁ

parā-śaṅkāṁ ca yacchasi

Translation

Yet we are moved to wonder about the existence of someone more powerful than you when we think of your great austerities in perfect discipline, although your good self is so powerful in the matter of creation.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Respect the Teacher Without Mistaking Him for God

  1. 1

    A spiritual master deserves respect on a par with God, but one who claims to be God Himself should be rejected. A disciple should not accept such a claim blindly.

  2. 2

    Brahmā's wonderful creative acts led Nārada to regard him as supreme. Seeing Brahmā worship a superior authority prompted Nārada to seek clarification.

  3. 3

    The Supreme has no worshipable superior and does not need any process to become God. No one becomes God through transcendental realization.

Key points from the purport
  • Following in the footsteps of Śrī Nārada Muni, one should not blindly accept his spiritual master as God Himself.
  • Nārada Muni accepted Brahmā as the Supreme due to Lord Brahmā’s wonderful acts in creation, but doubts arose in him when he saw that Lord Brahmā also worshiped some superior authority.
  • Nārada Muni thought of Brahmājī as the Supreme Person, but when he saw Brahmājī engaged in the process of transcendental realization, doubts arose in him.

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
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saḥhe
  2. bhavānyour good self
  3. acaratundertook
  4. ghoramsevere
  5. yat tapaḥmeditation
  6. su-samāhitaḥin perfect discipline
  7. tenafor that reason
  8. khedayasegives pain
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “worship”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Can I combine deep respect for a spiritual teacher with careful discernment about his position?

Practice

Write down this distinction: a spiritual master is honored as God's representative, not accepted as God Himself.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRespect the Teacher Without Mistaking Him for GodThis 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 2.5.7? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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