1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by canto and chapter

Canto

Canto 2 · The Cosmic Manifestation · 10 chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

How to study this verse, in six steps

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
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 9: Answers by Citing the Lord’s Version

2.9.12 2.9.14

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.9.13

Sthāna· The universe in order

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 2.9.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

भ्राजिष्णुभिर्य: परितो विराजते

लसद्विमानावलिभिर्महात्मनाम् ।

विद्योतमान: प्रमदोत्तमाद्युभि:

सविद्युदभ्रावलिभिर्यथा नभ: ॥ १३ ॥

bhrājiṣṇubhir yaḥ parito virājate

lasad-vimānāvalibhir mahātmanām

vidyotamānaḥ pramadottamādyubhiḥ

savidyud-abhrāvalibhir yathā nabhaḥ

Translation

The Vaikuṇṭha planets are also surrounded by various airplanes, all glowing and brilliantly situated. These airplanes belong to the great mahātmās or devotees of the Lord. The ladies are as beautiful as lightning because of their celestial complexions, and all these combined together appear just like the sky decorated with both clouds and lightning.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Spiritual Variety Without Material Imperfection

1
The glowing airplanes of Vaikuṇṭha belong to great devotees of the Lord. Their occupants include ladies of celestial beauty, brilliant like lightning.
2
Everything there is of the nature of eternity, bliss and knowledge. The airplanes and carriages are of the same quality as Brahman, which is not void or without variety.
3
One should not carry ideas of material imperfection into the transcendental world. Its atmosphere is completely free from the influence of time.

Key points from the purport

It appears that in the Vaikuṇṭha planets there are also airplanes brilliantly glowing, and they are occupied by the great devotees of the Lord with ladies of celestial beauty as brilliant as lightning.
Because everything is of the same nature of eternity, bliss and knowledge, the airplanes and carriages are of the same quality as Brahman.
As there are airplanes, ladies and gentlemen, so there must be cities and houses and everything else just suitable to the particular planets.

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

Chapter 9: Answers by Citing the Lord’s Version

The Lord receives Brahmā, explains His eternal existence, and instructs him to remain fixed and free from pride.

Back to this verse in chapter 2.9

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

bhrājiṣṇubhiḥby the glowing
yaḥthe Vaikuṇṭhalokas
paritaḥsurrounded by
virājatethus situated
lasatbrilliant
vimānaairplanes
avalibhiḥassemblage
mahā-ātmanāmof the great devotees of the Lord

Key ideas in this verse

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

Sthāna · Planetary systems
How is the universe arranged, and what is our right place in it? · Subject 3 of 10
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 2.9
In this verse: “devotees”
Jñāna · Spiritual insight
Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 2.9
In this verse: “knowledge”
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 2.9
In this verse: “material”

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Do I imagine spiritual existence as empty, or allow for the variety described here?

Practice

List three features of Vaikuṇṭha from this passage and beside them write “eternity, bliss and knowledge.”

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

2 lectures given on it · quoted in 2 more lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 2 other lectures

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todaySpiritual Variety Without Material ImperfectionThis 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 2.9.13? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories