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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 26: Fundamental Principles of Material Nature
3.26.193.26.21

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.26.20

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

विश्वमात्मगतं व्यञ्जन्कूटस्थो जगदङ्कुर: ।

स्वतेजसापिबत्तीव्रमात्मप्रस्वापनं तम: ॥ २० ॥

viśvam ātma-gataṁ vyañjan

kūṭa-stho jagad-aṅkuraḥ

sva-tejasāpibat tīvram

ātma-prasvāpanaṁ tamaḥ

Translation

Thus, after manifesting variegatedness, the effulgent mahat-tattva, which contains all the universes within itself, which is the root of all cosmic manifestations and which is not destroyed at the time of annihilation, swallows the darkness that covered the effulgence at the time of dissolution.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Manifestation Emerges From Dormant Energy

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is ever existing, all-blissful and full of knowledge. His different energies also continue to exist in a dormant state.

  2. 2

    The mahat-tattva contains all the universes and is the root of cosmic manifestations. When it appears, it manifests material ego and dispels the darkness of dissolution.

  3. 3

    The purport compares this manifestation to waking after the darkness of night. As the covering of sleep disappears, the world's varieties become visible again.

Key points from the purport
  • Thus when the mahat-tattva was created, it manifested the material ego and swallowed up the darkness which covered the cosmic manifestation at the time of dissolution.
  • A person at night remains inactive, covered by the darkness of night, but when he is awakened in the morning, the covering of night, or the forgetfulness of the sleeping state, disappears.
  • Similarly, when the mahat-tattva appears after the night of dissolution, the effulgence is manifested to exhibit the variegatedness of this material world.

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 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. viśvamthe universe
  2. ātma-gatamcontained within itself
  3. vyañjanmanifesting
  4. kūṭa-sthaḥunchangeable
  5. jagat-aṅkuraḥthe root of all cosmic manifestations
  6. sva-tejasāby its own effulgence
  7. apibatswallowed
  8. tīvramdense
  9. ātma-prasvāpanamwhich had covered the mahat-tattva
  10. tamaḥdarkness
3

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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 3.26

    In this verse: “knowledge”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “material”

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 example of waking help me understand manifestation after dissolution?

Practice

Reread the waking-and-sleeping comparison and write one sentence explaining how the Lord's energies can remain dormant.

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 todayManifestation Emerges From Dormant EnergyThis 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 3.26.20? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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