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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 26: Fundamental Principles of Material Nature
3.26.183.26.20

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.26.19

Sarga· Creation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 3.26.10inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraLord Kapila → Devahūti

दैवात्क्षुभितधर्मिण्यां स्वस्यां योनौ पर: पुमान् ।

आधत्त वीर्यं सासूत महत्तत्त्वं हिरण्मयम् ॥ १९ ॥

daivāt kṣubhita-dharmiṇyāṁ

svasyāṁ yonau paraḥ pumān

ādhatta vīryaṁ sāsūta

mahat-tattvaṁ hiraṇmayam

Translation

After the Supreme Personality of Godhead impregnates material nature with His internal potency, material nature delivers the sum total of the cosmic intelligence, which is known as Hiraṇmaya. This takes place in material nature when she is agitated by the destinations of the conditioned souls.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Life Comes From the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    When the Supreme Personality of Godhead impregnates material nature with His internal potency, she delivers the cosmic intelligence known as Hiraṇmaya. The mahat-tattva is the source of material varieties.

  2. 2

    Living entities belong to the Lord's spiritual, marginal potency. Material nature supplies their different bodies, but their living force is spiritual.

  3. 3

    Material nature is the mother, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the seed-giving father. Life does not arise from the interaction of material elements.

Key points from the purport
  • This part of material nature, which is called pradhāna as well as Brahman, is impregnated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and delivers varieties of living entities.
  • The Supreme Lord does not put His semen into that which is not spiritual, but it is stated here that the Supreme Person puts His semen into material nature.
  • This means that the living entities are spiritual by nature.

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· 2

The purport of SB 3.26.19 quotesBG 14.4

In Bhagavad-gītā (14.4) material nature is clearly mentioned as sarva-yoniṣu.

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 20.274

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.26.19).

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

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 26: Fundamental Principles of Material Nature

Kapila explains material nature, consciousness, time, the elements, and the manifestation of the universal form.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.26
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. daivātby the destiny of the conditioned souls
  2. kṣubhitaagitated
  3. dharmiṇyāmwhose equilibrium of the modes
  4. svasyāmHis own
  5. yonauin the womb (material nature)
  6. paraḥ pumānthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  7. ādhattaimpregnated
  8. vīryamsemen (His internal potency)
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Sarga · The creation of the universe

    Where does the universe come from? · Subject 1 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 3.26

    In this verse: “material”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 3.26

    In this verse: “mother”, “father”

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 might seeing living beings as spiritual change the way I regard their different bodies?

Practice

When you notice a person or animal today, remember that its body comes from material nature but its living force comes from the Supreme Lord.

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 todayLife Comes From the Supreme LordThis 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 3.26.19? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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