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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 5: Vidura’s Talks with Maitreya
3.5.323.5.34

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.5.33

Sarga· Creation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 3.5.18inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

कालमायांशयोगेन भगवद्वीक्षितं नभ: ।

नभसोऽनुसृतं स्पर्शं विकुर्वन्निर्ममेऽनिलम् ॥ ३३ ॥

kāla-māyāṁśa-yogena

bhagavad-vīkṣitaṁ nabhaḥ

nabhaso ’nusṛtaṁ sparśaṁ

vikurvan nirmame ’nilam

Translation

Thereafter the Personality of Godhead glanced over the sky, partly mixed with eternal time and external energy, and thus developed the touch sensation, from which the air in the sky was produced.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Creation Develops from Subtle to Gross

  1. 1

    All material creation develops from subtle to gross. The entire universe develops in this manner.

  2. 2

    Through the Lord’s glance, eternal time and external energy, touch develops from the sky. This touch sensation develops into air.

  3. 3

    The purport describes the sequence: sound develops into sky, touch into air, form into fire, taste into water and smell into earth.

Key points from the purport
  • The entire universe has developed in that manner.
  • From the sky developed the touch sensation, which is a mixture of eternal time, the external energy and the glance of the Personality of Godhead.
  • Similarly, all other gross matter also developed from subtle to gross: sound developed into sky, touch developed into air, form developed into fire, taste developed into water, and smell developed into earth.

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

Mystery → Cosmic wonder. The origin of the world is revealed through inquiry and divine grace.

Chapters 5–12 of Canto 3: Creation and Brahmā's bewilderment. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 5: Vidura’s Talks with Maitreya

Vidura meets Maitreya, who begins explaining the Lord’s activities and the unfolding of material creation.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.5
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kālatime
  2. māyāexternal energy
  3. aṁśa-yogenapartly mixed
  4. bhagavatthe Personality of Godhead
  5. vīkṣitamglanced over
  6. nabhaḥthe sky
  7. nabhasaḥfrom the sky
  8. anusṛtambeing so contacted
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 3.5

    In this verse: “material”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does the Lord’s glance feature in this account of creation?

Practice

Write down the five subtle-to-gross pairings given in the purport, noting the Lord’s role in creation.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayCreation Develops from Subtle to GrossThis 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 3.5.33? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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