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

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Canto 4 · The Creation of the Fourth Order · 31 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 4 · Chapter 7: The Sacrifice Performed by Dakṣa
4.7.294.7.31

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.7.30

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śrī Bhṛgusince 4.7.30inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

भृगुरुवाच

यन्मायया गहनयापहृतात्मबोधा

ब्रह्मादयस्तनुभृतस्तमसि स्वपन्त: ।

नात्मन् श्रितं तव विदन्त्यधुनापि तत्त्वं

सोऽयं प्रसीदतु भवान्प्रणतात्मबन्धु: ॥ ३० ॥

bhṛgur uvāca

yan māyayā gahanayāpahṛtātma-bodhā

brahmādayas tanu-bhṛtas tamasi svapantaḥ

nātman-śritaṁ tava vidanty adhunāpi tattvaṁ

so ’yaṁ prasīdatu bhavān praṇatātma-bandhuḥ

Translation

Śrī Bhṛgu said: My dear Lord, all living entities, beginning from the highest, namely Lord Brahmā, down to the ordinary ant, are under the influence of the insurmountable spell of illusory energy, and thus they are ignorant of their constitutional position. Everyone believes in the concept of the body, and all are thus submerged in the darkness of illusion. They are actually unable to understand how You live in every living entity as the Supersoul, nor can they understand Your absolute position. But You are the eternal friend and protector of all surrendered souls. Therefore, please be kind toward us and forgive all our offenses.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Surrender and Depend on the Lord’s Mercy

  1. 1

    Identifying the body as the self makes it very difficult to understand the Supersoul or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhṛgu included himself among those who had committed offenses.

  2. 2

    The remedy is to surrender to Viṣṇu and pray for forgiveness. One should depend on the Lord’s causeless mercy, not on one’s own strength.

  3. 3

    The Lord is everyone’s friend and is especially friendly to the surrendered soul. He protects those who remain surrendered to Him from material contamination.

Key points from the purport
  • Bhṛgu Muni was conscious of the scandalous behavior exhibited by each and every one of them, including Brahmā and Lord Śiva, in the sacrificial ceremony of Dakṣa.
  • By mentioning Brahmā, the chief of all living entities within this material world, he wanted to state that everyone, including also Brahmā and Lord Śiva, is under the concept of the body and under the spell of material energy — all but Viṣṇu.
  • The simple process, therefore, is that a conditioned soul should remain surrendered to the Lord, and the Lord will give him all protection to keep him out of the clutches of material contamination.

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

Humiliation and anger → Reconciliation. Relational offense leads to grief and destruction before restoration.

Chapters 1–7 of Canto 4: Dakṣa, Satī and Śiva. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 7: The Sacrifice Performed by Dakṣa

Lord Śiva is pacified, Dakṣa acknowledges his offense, and Lord Viṣṇu accepts the sacrifice.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.7
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. bhṛguḥ uvācaŚrī Bhṛgu said
  2. yatwho
  3. māyayāby illusory energy
  4. gahanayāinsurmountable
  5. apahṛtastolen
  6. ātma-bodhāḥknowledge of the constitutional position
  7. brahma-ādayaḥLord Brahmā, etc.
  8. tanu-bhṛtaḥembodied living entities
3

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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.7

    In this verse: “illusion”, “material”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 4.7

    In this verse: “protector”, “protects”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 4.7

    In this verse: “surrendered”, “surrender”

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

Where am I relying on my own strength instead of seeking the Lord’s mercy?

Practice

Offer a brief prayer acknowledging one offense, asking the Lord’s forgiveness and expressing dependence on His mercy.

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 4.7's connections

Live this todaySurrender and Depend on the Lord’s MercyThis 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 4.7.30? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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