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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.
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Canto 2 · Chapter 7: Scheduled Incarnations with Specific Functions
2.7.292.7.31

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.7.30

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Brahmāsince 2.7.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Brahmā → Nārada Muni

गृह्णीत यद् यदुपबन्धममुष्य माता

शुल्बं सुतस्य न तु तत् तदमुष्य माति ।

यज्जृम्भतोऽस्य वदने भुवनानि गोपी

संवीक्ष्य शङ्कितमना: प्रतिबोधितासीत् ॥ ३० ॥

gṛhṇīta yad yad upabandham amuṣya mātā

śulbaṁ sutasya na tu tat tad amuṣya māti

yaj jṛmbhato ’sya vadane bhuvanāni gopī

saṁvīkṣya śaṅkita-manāḥ pratibodhitāsīt

Translation

When the cowherd woman [Kṛṣṇa’s foster mother, Yaśodā] was trying to tie the hands of her son with ropes, she found the rope to be always insufficient in length, and when she finally gave up, Lord Kṛṣṇa, by and by, opened His mouth, wherein the mother found all the universes situated. Seeing this, she was doubtful in her mind, but she was convinced in a different manner of the mystic nature of her son.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Yoga-māyā Perfects the Lord’s Loving Pastimes

  1. 1

    When Yaśodā tried to bind Kṛṣṇa, every length of rope proved insufficient. Then she saw all the universes within His open mouth.

  2. 2

    Because of her deep affection, Yaśodā could not think that her son was the Personality of Godhead Himself. She thought that Nārāyaṇa was kindly protecting Him.

  3. 3

    This is the action of yoga-māyā, the Supreme Lord’s internal potency. It perfects His pastimes with His different types of devotees.

Key points from the purport
  • One day Lord Kṛṣṇa as the naughty child disturbed His mother Yaśodā, and she began to tie up the child with ropes just to punish Him.
  • Thus she became fatigued, but in the meantime the Lord opened His mouth, and the affectionate mother saw within the mouth of her son all the universes situated together.
  • The mother was astonished, but out of her deep affection for Kṛṣṇa she thought that the Almighty Godhead Nārāyaṇa had kindly looked after her son just to protect Him from all the continuous calamities happening to 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 7: Scheduled Incarnations with Specific Functions

Brahmā recounts the Lord’s incarnations and explains that unalloyed surrender enables one to understand Him.

Back to this verse in chapter 2.7
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. gṛhṇītaby taking up
  2. yat yatwhatsoever
  3. upabandhamropes for tying
  4. amuṣyaHis
  5. mātāmother
  6. śulbamropes
  7. sutasyaof her son
  8. nanot
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

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 2.7

    In this verse: “yaśodā”, “mother”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 2.7

    In this verse: “gave up”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 2.7

    In this verse: “devotees”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does Yaśodā’s deep affection help me appreciate about loving devotion to Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Spend a quiet minute reflecting on how yoga-māyā preserves Yaśodā’s loving relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayYoga-māyā Perfects the Lord’s Loving PastimesThis 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.

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