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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 14: Pregnancy of Diti in the Evening
3.14.403.14.42

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.14.41

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The learned Kaśyapasince 3.14.38inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

तदा विश्वेश्वर: क्रुद्धो भगवाल्लोकभावन: ।

हनिष्यत्यवतीर्यासौ यथाद्रीन् शतपर्वधृक् ॥ ४१ ॥

tadā viśveśvaraḥ kruddho

bhagavāl loka-bhāvanaḥ

haniṣyaty avatīryāsau

yathādrīn śataparva-dhṛk

Translation

At that time the Lord of the universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the well-wisher of all living entities, will descend and kill them, just as Indra smashes the mountains with his thunderbolts.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Descends for His Devotees

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead descends to deliver His devotees and kill the miscreants. He would kill Diti’s sons because they offended His devotees.

  2. 2

    The Lord’s agents can chastise even formidable miscreants, so He does not need to descend merely to overcome their strength. He comes to relieve His devotees’ distress at the suffering caused to others.

  3. 3

    Even being killed by the Lord is His mercy toward the miscreant. Because the Lord is absolute, His killing miscreants and favoring devotees are not different.

Key points from the purport
  • As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.8), the Lord descends as an incarnation to deliver the devotees and kill the miscreants.
  • The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not need to descend in order to kill any strongly built body; He comes down just for the sake of His devotees.
  • Since the Lord is absolute, there is no difference between His activities of killing the miscreants and favoring the devotees.

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 3.14.41 quotesBG 4.8

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.8), the Lord descends as an incarnation to deliver the devotees and kill the miscreants.

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

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 14: Pregnancy of Diti in the Evening

Diti desires sons, her husband performs a forbidden act, and their sons’ destruction by the Lord is foretold.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.14
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tadāat that time
  2. viśva-īśvaraḥthe Lord of the universe
  3. kruddhaḥin great anger
  4. bhagavānthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  5. loka-bhāvanaḥdesiring the welfare of the people in general
  6. haniṣyatiwill kill
  7. avatīryadescending Himself
  8. asauHe
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 3.14

    In this verse: “mercy”, “favoring”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 3.14

    In this verse: “suffering”, “distress”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 3.14

    In this verse: “devotees”

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 the Lord’s concern for His devotees deepen my trust in His mercy?

Practice

Take a moment today to reflect on the Lord’s desire to relieve His devotees’ distress.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Descends for His DevoteesThis 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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