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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 8: Questions by King Parīkṣit
2.8.162.8.18

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.8.17

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Kingsince 2.8.2inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

युगानि युगमानं च धर्मो यश्च युगे युगे ।

अवतारानुचरितं यदाश्चर्यतमं हरे: ॥ १७ ॥

yugāni yuga-mānaṁ ca

dharmo yaś ca yuge yuge

avatārānucaritaṁ

yad āścaryatamaṁ hareḥ

Translation

Please explain all the different ages in the duration of the creation, and also the duration of such ages. Also tell me about the different activities of the different incarnations of the Lord in different ages.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Hear the Lord’s Activities With Discernment

  1. 1

    Lord Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead. All incarnations of the Supreme Lord are emanations from Him, though nondifferent from Him.

  2. 2

    An incarnation should be accepted through symptoms and activities described in authoritative scriptures and confirmed by an ācārya. Sentiment alone is not sufficient.

  3. 3

    The Lord descends by His internal energy, free from the obligations of material nature. Because the Lord and His activities are identical, hearing His activities brings direct association with Him and purification.

Key points from the purport
  • Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired from the great and learned sage Śukadeva Gosvāmī about the different activities of such incarnations so that the incarnation of the Lord might be confirmed by His activities in the authoritative scriptures.
  • The Lord descends by His internal energy without any obligation to the laws of material nature, and thus His activities are also uncommon.
  • Thus to hear the activities of the Lord means to associate with the Lord directly, and association with the Lord directly means purification from material contamination.

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

Inquiry → Conviction. Divine knowledge resolves fundamental cosmic uncertainty.

Chapters 8–10 of Canto 2: Parīkṣit questions; Brahmā receives revelation. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 8: Questions by King Parīkṣit

Parīkṣit requests further hearing about Kṛṣṇa and asks questions about creation, time, duty, and devotional service.

Back to this verse in chapter 2.8
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yugānithe different ages
  2. yuga-mānamthe duration of each age
  3. caas well as
  4. dharmaḥthe particular occupational duty
  5. yaḥ caand which
  6. yuge yugein each and every yuga, or particular age
  7. avatārathe incarnation
  8. anucaritamand the activities of the incarnation
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 2.8

    In this verse: “material”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 2.8

    In this verse: “hearing”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 2.8

    In this verse: “free from”

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

Do I seek scriptural confirmation rather than accept claims about the Lord merely through sentiment?

Practice

Spend a few minutes attentively hearing or reading an account of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s activities in authoritative scripture.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayHear the Lord’s Activities With DiscernmentThis 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 2.8.17? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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