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

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Canto 3 · The Status Quo · 33 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 3 · Chapter 13: The Appearance of Lord Varāha
3.13.273.13.29

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.13.28

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

घ्राणेन पृथ्व्या: पदवीं विजिघ्रन्

क्रोडापदेश: स्वयमध्वराङ्ग: ।

करालदंष्ट्रोऽप्यकरालद‍ृग्भ्या-

मुद्वीक्ष्य विप्रान् गृणतोऽविशत्कम् ॥ २८ ॥

ghrāṇena pṛthvyāḥ padavīṁ vijighran

kroḍāpadeśaḥ svayam adhvarāṅgaḥ

karāla-daṁṣṭro ’py akarāla-dṛgbhyām

udvīkṣya viprān gṛṇato ’viśat kam

Translation

He was personally the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu and was therefore transcendental, yet because He had the body of a hog, He searched after the earth by smell. His tusks were fearful, and He glanced over the devotee-brāhmaṇas engaged in offering prayers. Thus He entered the water.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord’s Form Is Never Material

  1. 1

    Although an ordinary hog’s body is material, the Lord’s boar form is never materially contaminated. His body is transcendental in all circumstances.

  2. 2

    His assumption of a boar’s form is His pastime. By searching for the earth through smell, He showed that He can perfectly play the part of any living entity.

  3. 3

    His gigantic form was fearful to nondevotees but not to His pure devotees. His pleasing glance filled the devotees offering prayers with transcendental happiness.

Key points from the purport
  • We should always remember that although the body of a hog is material, the hog form of the Lord was not materially contaminated.
  • His body is always transcendental in all circumstances; therefore, the assumption of the form of a boar is only His pastime.
  • The gigantic feature of the boar was certainly very fearful for all nondevotees, but to the pure devotees of the Lord He was not at all fearful; on the contrary, He was so pleasingly glancing upon His devotees that all of them felt transcendental happiness.

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. ghrāṇenaby smelling
  2. pṛthvyāḥof the earth
  3. padavīmsituation
  4. vijighransearching after the earth
  5. kroḍa-apadeśaḥassuming the body of a hog
  6. svayampersonally
  7. adhvaratranscendental
  8. aṅgaḥbody
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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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotee-brāhmaṇas”, “devotees”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 3.13

    In this verse: “fearful”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 3.13

    In this verse: “material”

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 does this verse help me distinguish the Lord’s form from an ordinary animal’s body?

Practice

Recall the Lord’s pleasing glance and offer Him a brief prayer.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord’s Form Is Never MaterialThis 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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