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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
2.8.222.8.24

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.8.23

Nirodha· Winding up
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Kingsince 2.8.2inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

यथात्मतन्त्रो भगवान् विक्रीडत्यात्ममायया ।

विसृज्य वा यथा मायामुदास्ते साक्षिवद् विभु: ॥ २३ ॥

yathātma-tantro bhagavān

vikrīḍaty ātma-māyayā

visṛjya vā yathā māyām

udāste sākṣivad vibhuḥ

Translation

The independent Personality of Godhead enjoys His pastimes by His internal potency and at the time of annihilation gives them up to the external potency, and He remains a witness to it all.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa Is Supremely Independent

  1. 1

    Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the fountainhead of all other incarnations. He is the only independent person.

  2. 2

    He enjoys His pastimes through His internal potency. At annihilation, He gives them up to the external energy and remains unaffected.

  3. 3

    The Lord witnesses everything that happens, yet remains independent in every respect. A pure devotee desires to understand Him more perfectly.

Key points from the purport
  • Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, being the Supreme Personality of Godhead and fountainhead of all other incarnations, is the only independent person.
  • He enjoys His pastimes by creation as He desires and gives them up to the external energy at the time of annihilation.
  • And when He desires to leave this world He creates the pastimes of killing His own family members (Yadu-kula) and remains unaffected by such annihilation.

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. yathāas
  2. ātma-tantraḥindependent
  3. bhagavānthe Personality of Godhead
  4. vikrīḍatienjoys His pastimes
  5. ātma-māyayāby His internal potency
  6. visṛjyagiving up
  7. vāas also
  8. yathāas He desires
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Nirodha · Returning home, back to Godhead

    What happens when everything here comes to an end? · Subject 8 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 2.8

    In this verse: “devotee”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 2.8

    In this verse: “understand”

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 this teaching help me understand about Kṛṣṇa’s independence?

Practice

Reread the translation today and reflect for a minute on Kṛṣṇa as the unaffected witness of everything.

5

The story around it

The story 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 2.8's connections

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Is Supremely IndependentThis 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 2.8.23? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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