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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 · Texts 5.17.22-23

Who is speaking and story frame

यस्याद्य आसीद् गुणविग्रहो महान्विज्ञानधिष्ण्यो भगवानज: किल । यत्सम्भवोऽहं त्रिवृता स्वतेजसावैकारिकं तामसमैन्द्रियं सृजे ॥ २२ ॥ एते वयं यस्य वशे महात्मन:स्थिता: शकुन्ता इव सूत्रयन्त्रिता: । महानहं वैकृततामसेन्द्रिया:सृजाम सर्वे यदनुग्रहादिदम् ॥ २३ ॥

yasyādya āsīd guṇa-vigraho mahān

vijñāna-dhiṣṇyo bhagavān ajaḥ kila

yat-sambhavo ’haṁ tri-vṛtā sva-tejasā

vaikārikaṁ tāmasam aindriyaṁ sṛje

ete vayaṁ yasya vaśe mahātmanaḥ

sthitāḥ śakuntā iva sūtra-yantritāḥ

mahān ahaṁ vaikṛta-tāmasendriyāḥ

sṛjāma sarve yad-anugrahād idam

Translation

From that Supreme Personality of Godhead appears Lord Brahmā, whose body is made from the total material energy, the reservoir of intelligence predominated by the passionate mode of material nature. From Lord Brahmā, I myself am born as a representation of false ego known as Rudra. By my own power I create all the other demigods, the five elements and the senses. Therefore, I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is greater than any of us and under whose control are situated all the demigods, material elements and senses, and even Lord Brahmā and I myself, like birds bound by a rope. Only by the Lord’s grace can we create, maintain and annihilate the material world. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Being.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

All Powers Depend on the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    Mahā-Viṣṇu expands from Saṅkarṣaṇa, and Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu expands from Mahā-Viṣṇu. Lord Brahmā is born of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and fathers Lord Śiva, from whom the other demigods gradually evolve.

  2. 2

    Brahmā creates the universe, Lord Viṣṇu maintains it, and Lord Śiva annihilates it. Lord Viṣṇu remains above all material qualities while accepting control of sattva-guṇa, the mode of goodness.

  3. 3

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead controls even Brahmā and Śiva, just as a bird’s owner controls it with a rope. Acknowledging that their work is possible only by the Lord’s grace, Śiva offers Him respectful obeisances.

Key points from the purport
  • Lord Brahmā, who was born of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, fathers Lord Śiva, from whom all the other demigods gradually evolve.
  • Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu are incarnations of the different material qualities.
  • Lord Viṣṇu is actually above all material qualities, but He accepts control of sattva-guṇa (the mode of goodness) to maintain the universe.

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

Smallness → Awe and reverence. A vast cosmos changes the reader's perspective.

Chapters 15–25 of Canto 5: The cosmic regions and divine worship. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 17: The Descent of the River Ganges

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Lord Śiva worships Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa by offering various prayers, one of which is as follows: “My dear Lord, please liberate all Your devotees from material life and bind all the nondevotees to the material world. Without Your mercy, no one can be released from the bondage of material existence.”
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.17
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yasyafrom whom
  2. ādyaḥthe beginning
  3. āsītthere was
  4. guṇa-vigrahaḥthe incarnation of the material qualities
  5. mahānthe total material energy
  6. vijñānaof full knowledge
  7. dhiṣṇyaḥthe reservoir
  8. bhagavānthe most powerful
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 5.17

    In this verse: “worship”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 5.17

    In this verse: “material”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 5.17

    In this verse: “false ego”

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

What can Śiva’s acknowledgment of dependence on the Supreme Lord teach me about humility?

Practice

Before one task today, offer respectful obeisances to the Supreme Lord and acknowledge your dependence on His grace.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayAll Powers Depend on the Supreme LordThis 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 5.17.22-23? Get an answer from the verses themselves.