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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
2.7.372.7.39

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.7.38

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

यर्ह्यालयेष्वपि सतां न हरे: कथा: स्यु:

पाषण्डिनो द्विजजना वृषला नृदेवा: ।

स्वाहा स्वधा वषडिति स्म गिरो न यत्र

शास्ता भविष्यति कलेर्भगवान् युगान्ते ॥ ३८ ॥

yarhy ālayeṣv api satāṁ na hareḥ kathāḥ syuḥ

pāṣaṇḍino dvija-janā vṛṣalā nṛdevāḥ

svāhā svadhā vaṣaḍ iti sma giro na yatra

śāstā bhaviṣyati kaler bhagavān yugānte

Translation

Thereafter, at the end of Kali-yuga, when there exist no topics on the subject of God, even at the residences of so-called saints and respectable gentlemen of the three higher castes, and when the power of government is transferred to the hands of ministers elected from the lowborn śūdra class or those less than them, and when nothing is known of the techniques of sacrifice, even by word, at that time the Lord will appear as the supreme chastiser.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Spiritual Standing Requires Knowledge and Devotional Service

  1. 1

    The central symptom of the worst conditions at the end of Kali-yuga is godlessness. Even supposed saints and respected social leaders forget the Lord's holy name and activities.

  2. 2

    Spiritual standing is judged by knowledge of the Supreme Lord, not birthright or bodily designation. Titles without knowledge of God and practical devotional service are compared to decorations on dead bodies.

  3. 3

    Leaders should reform society through training in God consciousness and the worldwide culture of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the deeply degraded condition described, the Lord appears as Kalki, the supreme chastiser.

Key points from the purport
  • Even the so-called saints and higher castes of the social orders, generally known as the dvija-janas or the twice-born, will become atheists.
  • The saints and the higher castes or orders of the society are judged by their proportion of knowledge in the science of God, or tattva-jñāna, and not by any kind of birthright or bodily designations.
  • It is stated herein that the governmental power of society in the Kali-yuga will be passed over to the uncultured, godless laborer classes of men, and thus the nṛdevas (or the ministers of the government) will be the vṛṣalas, or the uncultured, lower-class men of society.

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. yarhiwhen it happens
  2. ālayeṣuin the residence of
  3. apieven
  4. satāmcivilized gentlemen
  5. nano
  6. hareḥof the Personality of Godhead
  7. kathāḥtopics
  8. syuḥwill take place
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 2.7

    In this verse: “government”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotional service”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”

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 can you give more importance to knowledge of the Lord and practical service than to social titles?

Practice

Read this passage with someone today, or share one of its teachings about knowledge of God and devotional service.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 2.7's connections

Live this todaySpiritual Standing Requires Knowledge and Devotional ServiceThis 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 2.7.38? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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