1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 3 · The Status Quo · 33 chapters

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 9: Brahmā’s Prayers for Creative Energy
3.9.143.9.16

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.9.15

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Brahmāsince 3.9.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

यस्यावतारगुणकर्मविडम्बनानि

नामानि येऽसुविगमे विवशा गृणन्ति ।

तेऽनैकजन्मशमलं सहसैव हित्वा

संयान्त्यपावृतामृतं तमजं प्रपद्ये ॥ १५ ॥

yasyāvatāra-guṇa-karma-viḍambanāni

nāmāni ye ’su-vigame vivaśā gṛṇanti

te ’naika-janma-śamalaṁ sahasaiva hitvā

saṁyānty apāvṛtāmṛtaṁ tam ajaṁ prapadye

Translation

Let me take shelter of the lotus feet of Him whose incarnations, qualities and activities are mysterious imitations of worldly affairs. One who invokes His transcendental names, even unconsciously, at the time he quits this life, is certainly washed immediately of the sins of many, many births and attains Him without fail.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Take Shelter of the Lord’s Holy Names

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead appears to imitate worldly activities, like an actor on a stage. Yet He is omnipotent and has no material concern in those activities.

  2. 2

    Lord Kṛṣṇa lifted Govardhana Hill to exhibit His supernatural power. He could lift millions of such hills simply by His desire.

  3. 3

    Remembering the Lord’s activities is as powerful as the Lord Himself. Even unconsciously invoking His transcendental names at death can wash away the sins of many births and bring one to Him.

Key points from the purport
  • The activities of the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are a kind of imitation of the activities going on in the material world.
  • An actor imitates the activities of a king on stage, although actually he is not the king.
  • His acts in that capacity, however, are all omnipotent, and the remembrance of such activities of the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is as powerful as the Lord Himself.

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· 1

The purport of SB 3.9.15 quotesBG 4.14

In Bhagavad-gītā (4.14), it is said that the Lord has nothing to do with the activities in which He is supposedly engaged: na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karma-phale spṛhā.

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

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 9: Brahmā’s Prayers for Creative Energy

Brahmā prays for mercy and creative power, and the Lord instructs and blesses him.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.9
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yasyawhose
  2. avatāraincarnations
  3. guṇatranscendental qualities
  4. karmaactivities
  5. viḍambanāniall mysterious
  6. nāmānitranscendental names
  7. yethose
  8. asu-vigamewhile quitting this life
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 3.9

    In this verse: “sins”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 3.9

    In this verse: “shelter”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 3.9

    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 knowing the power of the Lord’s names affect my desire to remember Him?

Practice

Today, say the holy name Kṛṣṇa attentively and remember His lifting of Govardhana Hill.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 3.9's connections

Live this todayTake Shelter of the Lord’s Holy NamesThis 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 3.9.15? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories