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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 25: The Glories of Devotional Service
3.25.73.25.9

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.25.8

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Devahūtisince 3.25.7inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraLord Kapila → Devahūti

तस्य त्वं तमसोऽन्धस्य दुष्पारस्याद्य पारगम् ।

सच्चक्षुर्जन्मनामन्ते लब्धं मे त्वदनुग्रहात् ॥ ८ ॥

tasya tvaṁ tamaso ’ndhasya

duṣpārasyādya pāragam

sac-cakṣur janmanām ante

labdhaṁ me tvad-anugrahāt

Translation

Your Lordship is my only means of getting out of this darkest region of ignorance because You are my transcendental eye, which, by Your mercy only, I have attained after many, many births.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Spiritual Guidance Opens Our Eyes

  1. 1

    Devahūti accepted the Lord as her transcendental eye and her means of escaping ignorance. She understood that this opportunity had come by His mercy after many births.

  2. 2

    A bona fide spiritual master delivers the disciple from ignorance with the light of knowledge. His instructions open the disciple’s eyes and lead from conditioned life toward freedom.

  3. 3

    By finding and surrendering to a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, one can be brought to the side of light. Such spiritual association is a great fortune.

Key points from the purport
  • The spiritual master is therefore worshiped as one who delivers the disciple from the mire of ignorance with the light of the torch of knowledge.
  • By the instruction of the spiritual master, the darkness of ignorance is removed, and thus the disciple is enabled to go to the side of freedom.
  • Similarly, if after many, many births one is able to find a bona fide spiritual master and surrender to such a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, one can be taken to the side of light.

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

Entanglement → Insight and liberation. Inquiry matures into instruction in devotion and spiritual nature.

Chapters 25–33 of Canto 3: Kapila instructs Devahūti. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 25: The Glories of Devotional Service

Kapila teaches Devahūti the glories of devotional service, association with devotees, and freedom from material attachment.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.25
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tasyathat
  2. tvamYou
  3. tamasaḥignorance
  4. andhasyadarkness
  5. duṣpārasyadifficult to cross
  6. adyanow
  7. pāra-gamcrossing over
  8. sattranscendental
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 3.25

    In this verse: “mercy”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 3.25

    In this verse: “surrendering”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 3.25

    In this verse: “knowledge”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I willing to let genuine spiritual instruction correct my understanding?

Practice

Read one instruction from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s purport here and write down the misunderstanding it helps remove.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

1 lecture given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todaySpiritual Guidance Opens Our EyesThis 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 3.25.8? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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