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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 15: Description of the Kingdom of God
3.15.253.15.27

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.15.26

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Brahmāsince 3.15.24inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraLord Brahmā → the demigods

तद्विश्वगुर्वधिकृतं भुवनैकवन्द्यं

दिव्यं विचित्रविबुधाग्र्यविमानशोचि: ।

आपु: परां मुदमपूर्वमुपेत्य योग-

मायाबलेन मुनयस्तदथो विकुण्ठम् ॥ २६ ॥

tad viśva-gurv-adhikṛtaṁ bhuvanaika-vandyaṁ

divyaṁ vicitra-vibudhāgrya-vimāna-śociḥ

āpuḥ parāṁ mudam apūrvam upetya yoga-

māyā-balena munayas tad atho vikuṇṭham

Translation

Thus the great sages Sanaka, Sanātana, Sanandana and Sanat-kumāra, upon reaching the above-mentioned Vaikuṇṭha in the spiritual world by dint of their mystic yoga performance, perceived unprecedented happiness. They found that the spiritual sky was illuminated by highly decorated airplanes piloted by the best devotees of Vaikuṇṭha and was predominated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Supreme Lord Rules Eternal Vaikuṇṭha

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is one without a second: no one is equal to or greater than Him. The Vaikuṇṭha planets are personally ruled by expansions of Kṛṣṇa.

  2. 2

    The sages experienced unprecedented happiness in Vaikuṇṭha. Its airplanes and other features are spiritual, eternal and blissful, manifested through the Lord’s internal potency, yoga-māyā.

  3. 3

    The sages reached the spiritual sky through perfection in yoga. Breathing exercises and maintaining bodily health are not yoga’s ultimate goals.

Key points from the purport
  • In other words, in the Vaikuṇṭha planets there is no scarcity of the things which are available in the material world; they are available, but they are more valuable because they are spiritual and therefore eternal and blissful.
  • But by perfection of the yoga system one not only can travel through material space, but can surpass material space and enter the spiritual sky.
  • The transcendental happiness exhibited in the spiritual world and all other spiritual manifestations there are made possible by the influence of yoga-māyā, the internal potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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 15: Description of the Kingdom of God

Brahmā describes Vaikuṇṭha, where the Kumāras curse two doorkeepers and then behold the Lord.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.15
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tatthen
  2. viśva-guruby the teacher of the universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  3. adhikṛtampredominated
  4. bhuvanaof the planets
  5. ekaalone
  6. vandyamworthy to be worshiped
  7. divyamspiritual
  8. vicitrahighly decorated
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 3.15

    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

Does my understanding of spiritual practice reach beyond bodily well-being toward the Supreme Lord?

Practice

Spend one minute reflecting on Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with no one equal to or greater than Him.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

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

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 3.15's connections

Live this todayThe Supreme Lord Rules Eternal VaikuṇṭhaThis 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 3.15.26? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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