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

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Canto 5 · The Creative Impetus · 26 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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 5.14.29

Who is speaking and story frame

कदाचिदीश्वरस्य भगवतो विष्णोश्चक्रात्परमाण्वादिद्विपरार्धापवर्गकालोपलक्षणात्परिवर्तितेन वयसा रंहसा हरत आब्रह्मतृणस्तम्बादीनां भूतानामनिमिषतो मिषतां वित्रस्तहृदयस्तमेवेश्वरं कालचक्रनिजायुधं साक्षाद्भगवन्तं यज्ञपुरुषमनाद‍ृत्य पाखण्डदेवता: कङ्कगृध्रबकवटप्राया आर्यसमयपरिहृता: साङ्केत्येनाभिधत्ते ॥ २९ ॥

kadācid īśvarasya bhagavato viṣṇoś cakrāt paramāṇv-ādi-dvi-parārdhāpavarga-kālopalakṣaṇāt parivartitena vayasā raṁhasā harata ābrahma-tṛṇa-stambādīnāṁ bhūtānām animiṣato miṣatāṁ vitrasta-hṛdayas tam eveśvaraṁ kāla-cakra-nijāyudhaṁ sākṣād bhagavantaṁ yajña-puruṣam anādṛtya pākhaṇḍa-devatāḥ kaṅka-gṛdhra-baka-vaṭa-prāyā ārya-samaya-parihṛtāḥ sāṅketyenābhidhatte.

Translation

The personal weapon used by Lord Kṛṣṇa, the disc, is called hari-cakra, the disc of Hari. This cakra is the wheel of time. It expands from the beginning of the atoms up to the time of Brahmā’s death, and it controls all activities. It is always revolving and spending the lives of the living entities, from Lord Brahmā down to an insignificant blade of grass. Thus one changes from infancy, to childhood, to youth and maturity, and thus one approaches the end of life. It is impossible to check this wheel of time. This wheel is very exacting because it is the personal weapon of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sometimes the conditioned soul, fearing the approach of death, wants to worship someone who can save him from imminent danger. Yet he does not care for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose weapon is the indefatigable time factor. The conditioned soul instead takes shelter of a man-made god described in unauthorized scriptures. Such gods are like buzzards, vultures, herons and crows. Vedic scriptures do not refer to them. Imminent death is like the attack of a lion, and neither vultures, buzzards, crows nor herons can save one from such an attack. One who takes shelter of unauthorized man-made gods cannot be saved from the clutches of death.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Take Shelter of Kṛṣṇa Beyond Time

  1. 1

    The hari-cakra, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s disc, is the wheel of time. It spends the lives of all living beings, and no one can stop it.

  2. 2

    No one can escape the cruel hands of death without the favor of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Full surrender to Kṛṣṇa saves one from the grip of material nature.

  3. 3

    Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā are authorized guides. Teachers who claim spiritual authority without referring to these scriptures cannot provide real shelter.

Key points from the purport
  • No one can save himself from the cruel hands of death without being favored by Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • Not referring to these authorized scriptures, rascals take shelter of man-made scriptures and try to compete with Lord Kṛṣṇa.
  • In any case, we cannot accept the unauthorized ways of so-called incarnations, gods, cheaters and bluffers, who are described here as crows, vultures, buzzards and herons.

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

Misjudgment → Humility and insight. Spiritual insight hides behind social appearances.

Chapters 10–14 of Canto 5: Jaḍa Bharata instructs Rahūgaṇa. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 14: The Material World as the Great Forest of Enjoyment

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The time factor, which is like a serpent, takes away everyone’s life, including that of Lord Brahmā and the insignificant ant. Sometimes the conditioned soul tries to save himself from inexorable time and thus takes shelter of some bogus savior.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.14
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kadācitsometimes
  2. īśvarasyaof the Supreme Lord
  3. bhagavataḥof the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  4. viṣṇoḥof Lord Viṣṇu
  5. cakrātfrom the disc
  6. paramāṇu-ādibeginning from the time of minute atoms
  7. dvi-parārdhathe duration of the life of Brahmā
  8. apavargaending
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Nirodha · Returning home, back to Godhead

    What happens when everything here comes to an end? · Subject 8 of 10

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 5.14

    In this verse: “fearing”, “danger”, “death”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 5.14

    In this verse: “shelter”, “surrender”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 5.14

    In this verse: “worship”

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

When I feel afraid, do I seek shelter in Kṛṣṇa and His authorized teachings?

Practice

Read a short passage from Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam today with the intention of seeking Kṛṣṇa’s shelter.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayTake Shelter of Kṛṣṇa Beyond TimeThis 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 5.14.29? Get an answer from the verses themselves.