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

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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 3 · Chapter 13: The Appearance of Lord Varāha
3.13.253.13.27

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.13.26

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 3.13.16inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

तेषां सतां वेदवितानमूर्ति-

र्ब्रह्मावधार्यात्मगुणानुवादम् ।

विनद्य भूयो विबुधोदयाय

गजेन्द्रलीलो जलमाविवेश ॥ २६ ॥

teṣāṁ satāṁ veda-vitāna-mūrtir

brahmāvadhāryātma-guṇānuvādam

vinadya bhūyo vibudhodayāya

gajendra-līlo jalam āviveśa

Translation

Playing like an elephant, He entered into the water after roaring again in reply to the Vedic prayers by the great devotees. The Lord is the object of the Vedic prayers, and thus He understood that the devotees’ prayers were meant for Him.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Vedic Prayers Worship the Lord’s Transcendental Form

  1. 1

    The Lord’s form in any shape is always transcendental, full of knowledge and mercy. His form is personified Vedic knowledge and destroys material contamination.

  2. 2

    All the Vedas worship His transcendental form. The Lord has no material form, and the devotees pray to see His real face beyond the glaring effulgence.

  3. 3

    The Lord understood that the devotees’ prayers glorified Him and was pleased. To encourage His pure devotees, He roared again and entered the water to rescue the earth.

Key points from the purport
  • In the Vedic mantras the devotees request the Lord to remove the glaring effulgence because it covers His real face.
  • The Lord has no material form, but His form is always understood in terms of the Vedas.
  • The Lord was therefore pleased when such Vedic mantras were chanted, and to encourage His pure devotees, He roared once more and entered the water to rescue the submerged earth.

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

Threat and anger → Rescue and wonder. Divine protection appears amid cosmic confrontation.

Chapters 13–19 of Canto 3: Varāha, Jaya and Vijaya, Hiraṇyākṣa. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 13: The Appearance of Lord Varāha

Lord Varāha appears from Brahmā’s nose, lifts the submerged earth, and receives the sages’ prayers.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.13
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. teṣāmof them
  2. satāmof the great devotees
  3. vedaall knowledge
  4. vitāna-mūrtiḥthe form of expansion
  5. brahmaVedic sound
  6. avadhāryaknowing it well
  7. ātmaof Himself
  8. guṇa-anuvādamtranscendental glorification
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 3.13

    In this verse: “devotees”, “worship”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 3.13

    In this verse: “mercy”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 3.13

    In this verse: “rescue”

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 remembering that the Lord hears His devotees make my prayers more attentive?

Practice

Offer a short prayer praising the Lord’s knowledge and mercy.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayVedic Prayers Worship the Lord’s Transcendental FormThis 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.

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