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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
3.15.383.15.40

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.15.39

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The sagessince 3.15.32inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraLord Brahmā → the demigods

कृत्‍स्‍नप्रसादसुमुखं स्पृहणीयधाम

स्‍नेहावलोककलया हृदि संस्पृशन्तम् ।

श्यामे पृथावुरसि शोभितया श्रिया स्व-

श्चूडामणिं सुभगयन्तमिवात्मधिष्ण्यम् ॥ ३९ ॥

kṛtsna-prasāda-sumukhaṁ spṛhaṇīya-dhāma

snehāvaloka-kalayā hṛdi saṁspṛśantam

śyāme pṛthāv urasi śobhitayā śriyā svaś-

cūḍāmaṇiṁ subhagayantam ivātma-dhiṣṇyam

Translation

The Lord is the reservoir of all pleasure. His auspicious presence is meant for everyone’s benediction, and His affectionate smiling and glancing touch the core of the heart. The Lord’s beautiful bodily color is blackish, and His broad chest is the resting place of the goddess of fortune, who glorifies the entire spiritual world, the summit of all heavenly planets. Thus it appeared that the Lord was personally spreading the beauty and good fortune of the spiritual world.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Receive Mercy and Guard Against Offenses

  1. 1

    The Lord looked mercifully upon both the offenders and the offended. He is equal to all and especially inclined toward His devotees.

  2. 2

    An offense against a devotee is very dangerous to devotional service. Like a mad elephant trampling a garden, it can destroy one’s position in service.

  3. 3

    The Lord is the reservoir of all pleasure and gives shelter to everyone. Devotees receive shelter in His personal abodes, and His affectionate smile and glance touch their hearts.

Key points from the purport
  • When the Lord came, He was pleased with everyone; therefore it is stated here, kṛtsna-prasāda-sumukham.
  • In this material world, one is glorified if he is favored even a pinch by the goddess of fortune, so we can simply imagine how glorified is the kingdom of God in the spiritual world, where many hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune engage in the direct service of the Lord.
  • Therefore it is stated here that the spiritual world, Vaikuṇṭhaloka, is the summit of all planetary systems.

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. kṛtsna-prasādablessing everyone
  2. su-mukhamauspicious face
  3. spṛhaṇīyadesirable
  4. dhāmashelter
  5. snehaaffection
  6. avalokalooking upon
  7. kalayāby expansion
  8. hṛdiwithin the heart
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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 3.15

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotees”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 3.15

    In this verse: “glorifies”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 3.15

    In this verse: “offense”, “offenders”

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 be more careful not to hurt or disrespect another devotee?

Practice

Before speaking to or about a devotee today, pause and choose respectful words.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayReceive Mercy and Guard Against OffensesThis 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 3.15.39? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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