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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 7: Scheduled Incarnations with Specific Functions
2.7.34-352.7.37

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.7.36

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

कालेन मीलितधियामवमृश्य नृणां

स्तोकायुषां स्वनिगमो बत दूरपार: ।

आविर्हितस्त्वनुयुगं स हि सत्यवत्यां

वेदद्रुमं विटपशो विभजिष्यति स्म ॥ ३६ ॥

kālena mīlita-dhiyām avamṛśya nṝṇāṁ

stokāyuṣāṁ sva-nigamo bata dūra-pāraḥ

āvirhitas tv anuyugaṁ sa hi satyavatyāṁ

veda-drumaṁ viṭa-paśo vibhajiṣyati sma

Translation

The Lord Himself in His incarnation as the son of Satyavatī [Vyāsadeva] will consider his compilation of the Vedic literature to be very difficult for the less intelligent persons with short life, and thus He will divide the tree of Vedic knowledge into different branches, according to the circumstances of the particular age.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Makes Vedic Knowledge Accessible

  1. 1

    As Vyāsadeva, the Lord divides Vedic knowledge into branches suited to the age. He considers the difficulties of people with short lives and limited understanding.

  2. 2

    Real advancement of knowledge means progress in self-realization, not merely increasing bodily comforts. Identifying only with the temporary body leaves one unaware of the eternity of life.

  3. 3

    As the compassionate father of all living beings, the Lord gives accessible Vedic teachings through Bhagavad-gītā and, for further study, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Vyāsadeva's writings serve different kinds of people without departing from Vedic principles.

Key points from the purport
  • As explained in the First Canto, the less intelligent persons of the Age of Kali would be not only short-lived, but also perplexed with so many problems of life due to the awkward situation of the godless human society.
  • But in the Age of Kali the less intelligent men mistakenly consider the short lifetime of one hundred years (now factually reduced to about forty or sixty years) to be all in all.
  • They are less intelligent because they have no information of the eternity of life; they identify with the temporary material body existing for forty years and consider it the only basic principle of life.

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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kālenain course of time
  2. mīlita-dhiyāmof the less intelligent persons
  3. avamṛśyaconsidering the difficulties
  4. nṝṇāmof humanity at large
  5. stoka-āyuṣāmof the short-living persons
  6. sva-nigamaḥthe Vedic literatures compiled by Him
  7. bataexactly
  8. dūra-pāraḥgreatly difficult
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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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 2.7

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “understanding”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 2.7

    In this verse: “compassionate”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 2.7

    In this verse: “principles”

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

How much of your learning helps you understand life beyond the temporary body?

Practice

Set aside five minutes today to study this passage for self-realization rather than material gain.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Makes Vedic Knowledge AccessibleThis 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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