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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.
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Canto 3 · Chapter 13: The Appearance of Lord Varāha
3.13.443.13.46

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.13.45

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
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

स वै बत भ्रष्टमतिस्तवैषते

य: कर्मणां पारमपारकर्मण: ।

यद्योगमायागुणयोगमोहितं

विश्वं समस्तं भगवन् विधेहि शम् ॥ ४५ ॥

sa vai bata bhraṣṭa-matis tavaiṣate

yaḥ karmaṇāṁ pāram apāra-karmaṇaḥ

yad-yoga-māyā-guṇa-yoga-mohitaṁ

viśvaṁ samastaṁ bhagavan vidhehi śam

Translation

O Lord, there is no limit to Your wonderful activities. Anyone who desires to know the limit of Your activities is certainly nonsensical. Everyone in this world is conditioned by the powerful mystic potencies. Please bestow Your causeless mercy upon these conditioned souls.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Seek Mercy Rather Than Speculation

  1. 1

    The Lord’s activities are unlimited, so mental speculation cannot discover their limit. Those who attempt this remain captivated by His external potencies.

  2. 2

    The best course is to surrender to the Lord, knowing Him to be inconceivable. In this way one can receive His causeless mercy.

  3. 3

    Those in the spiritual world are absorbed in loving service, while those in the material world are absorbed in sense gratification. The sages ask for the blessing of causeless devotional service rather than unnecessary speculation.

Key points from the purport
  • Mental speculators who want to understand the limit of the Unlimited are certainly nonsensical.
  • The best thing for them is to surrender unto Him, knowing Him to be inconceivable, for thus they can receive His causeless mercy.
  • Those who are in the spiritual world are absorbed in Your loving service, forgetting themselves and You also, and those in the material world are absorbed in material sense gratification and therefore also forget You.

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
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saḥhe
  2. vaicertainly
  3. bataalas
  4. bhraṣṭa-matiḥnonsense
  5. tavaYour
  6. eṣatedesires
  7. yaḥone who
  8. karmaṇāmof activities
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 3.13

    In this verse: “mercy”, “causeless”, “blessing”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “sense gratification”, “material”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotional service”

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 I turn my desire to understand everything into a sincere desire to serve the Lord?

Practice

Offer a short prayer asking the Lord for mercy and the blessing of devotional service.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todaySeek Mercy Rather Than SpeculationThis 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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