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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 9: Brahmā’s Prayers for Creative Energy
3.9.213.9.23

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.9.22

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
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

सोऽयं समस्तजगतां सुहृदेक आत्मा

सत्त्वेन यन्मृडयते भगवान् भगेन ।

तेनैव मे द‍ृशमनुस्पृशताद्यथाहं

स्रक्ष्यामि पूर्ववदिदं प्रणतप्रियोऽसौ ॥ २२ ॥

so ’yaṁ samasta-jagatāṁ suhṛd eka ātmā

sattvena yan mṛḍayate bhagavān bhagena

tenaiva me dṛśam anuspṛśatād yathāhaṁ

srakṣyāmi pūrvavad idaṁ praṇata-priyo ’sau

Translation

Let the Supreme Lord be merciful towards me. He is the one friend and soul of all living entities in the world, and He maintains all, for their ultimate happiness, by His six transcendental opulences. May He be merciful towards me so that I, as before, may be empowered with the introspection to create, for I am also one of the surrendered souls who are dear to the Lord.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa Is Everyone’s Friend and Maintainer

  1. 1

    Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the maintainer of both the spiritual and material worlds. He sustains all living entities through His six transcendental opulences.

  2. 2

    The Lord is everyone’s one friend and well-wisher. Affection and love between Him and the living entities are eternally natural.

  3. 3

    Brahmā asks for the Lord’s causeless mercy to carry out his work of creation. The surrendered soul knows nothing but the Lord, and the Lord is very affectionate toward that soul.

Key points from the purport
  • The Lord maintains all the living entities everywhere by His six transcendental opulences, for which He is known as bhagavān, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • Brahmā prayed to the Lord because He is very much dear to the surrendered soul.
  • The surrendered soul knows nothing but the Lord, and therefore the Lord is very affectionate towards him.

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 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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saḥHe
  2. ayamthe Lord
  3. samasta-jagatāmof all the universes
  4. suhṛt ekaḥthe one friend and philosopher
  5. ātmāthe Supersoul
  6. sattvenaby the mode of goodness
  7. yatone who
  8. mṛḍayatecauses happiness
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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 3.9

    In this verse: “merciful”, “mercy”, “causeless”

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 3.9

    In this verse: “friend”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

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

    In this verse: “surrendered”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How might I approach my responsibilities differently if I depended on Kṛṣṇa’s mercy?

Practice

Before one task today, pray to Kṛṣṇa for the mercy and understanding to carry it out in His service.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Is Everyone’s Friend and MaintainerThis 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.

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