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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 9: Answers by Citing the Lord’s Version
2.9.172.9.19

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.9.18

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 2.9.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तद्दर्शनाह्लादपरिप्लुतान्तरो

हृष्यत्तनु: प्रेमभराश्रुलोचन: ।

ननाम पादाम्बुजमस्य विश्वसृग्

यत् पारमहंस्येन पथाधिगम्यते ॥ १८ ॥

tad-darśanāhlāda-pariplutāntaro

hṛṣyat-tanuḥ prema-bharāśru-locanaḥ

nanāma pādāmbujam asya viśva-sṛg

yat pāramahaṁsyena pathādhigamyate

Translation

Lord Brahmā, thus seeing the Personality of Godhead in His fullness, was overwhelmed with joy within his heart, and thus in full transcendental love and ecstasy, his eyes filled with tears of love. He thus bowed down before the Lord. That is the way of the highest perfection for the living being [paramahaṁsa].

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Hear With Faith and Serve With Love

  1. 1

    Seeing the Lord, Brahmā was overwhelmed with joy, shed tears of love and bowed down. The highest perfection is attained through steady bhakti-yoga, not through mental or mechanical means.

  2. 2

    One should firmly believe in the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa and hear about Him from Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Loving devotional service, rather than speculative efforts to become one with Him, leads to perfection.

  3. 3

    One may remain in one’s present condition of life while hearing faithfully from a bona fide devotee. This humble path can win the mercy of the Lord, who is otherwise unconquerable.

Key points from the purport
  • The Personality of Godhead is an established fact in all the revealed scriptures, and in the Bhagavad-gītā the personal feature of the Supreme Lord is especially mentioned, so much so that the last portion of the great literature has emphatically stressed that one should surrender unto the Personality of Godhead to be saved from the miseries of life.
  • Following in the footsteps of Lord Brahmā, any person, even up to this day, can attain the same perfection by following the path of the paramahaṁsa as recommended herein.
  • Yet He can be conquered by the paramahaṁsa path, as practically realized and shown by the great spiritual master Lord Brahmā.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 2.9.18 quotesSB 10.14.3

Lord Brahmā said, “O my Lord Kṛṣṇa, a devotee who abandons the path of empiric philosophical speculation aimed at merging in the existence of the Supreme and engages himself in hearing Your glories and activities from a bona fide sādhu, or saint, and who lives an honest life in the occupational engagement of his social life, can conquer Your sympathy…

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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 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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tatby that audience of the Lord
  2. darśanaaudience
  3. āhlādajoy
  4. pariplutaoverwhelmed
  5. antaraḥwithin the heart
  6. hṛṣyatfull in ecstasy
  7. tanuḥbody
  8. prema-bharain full transcendental love
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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

  • Prema · Transcendental love

    The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 2.9

    In this verse: “love”, “ecstasy”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 2.9

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotee”, “bhakti-yoga”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 2.9

    In this verse: “humble”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I make faithful hearing from a bona fide devotee part of my present life?

Practice

Set aside five minutes today to hear a bona fide devotee explain Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

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

Quoted in 1 lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 1 lecture

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

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Connected stories

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

The purport quotesSB 10.14.3

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 2.9's connections

Live this todayHear With Faith and Serve With LoveThis 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 2.9.18? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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