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Study a Verse

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 ›
Canto 5 · Chapter 2: The Activities of Mahārāja Āgnīdhra
5.2.25.2.4

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 5.2.3

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 5.2.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तदुपलभ्य भगवानादिपुरुष: सदसि गायन्तीं पूर्वचित्तिं नामाप्सरसमभियापयामास ॥ ३ ॥

tad upalabhya bhagavān ādi-puruṣaḥ sadasi gāyantīṁ pūrvacittiṁ nāmāpsarasam abhiyāpayām āsa.

Translation

Understanding King Āgnīdhra’s desire, the first and most powerful created being of this universe, Lord Brahmā, selected the best of the dancing girls in his assembly, whose name was Pūrvacitti, and sent her to the King.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Brahmā Represents the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    Lord Kṛṣṇa is the original person and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here Lord Brahmā is called bhagavān because he fully represents the Supreme Lord, and ādi-puruṣaḥ because he is the universe’s first-born creature.

  2. 2

    Lord Viṣṇu, situated as Paramātmā, knows the desires of living beings. He informed Lord Brahmā from within his heart, enabling Brahmā to understand Mahārāja Āgnīdhra’s desire.

  3. 3

    Pleased by Mahārāja Āgnīdhra’s worship, Lord Brahmā sent Pūrvacitti, the best dancing girl in his assembly. His understanding depended on information received from Lord Viṣṇu.

Key points from the purport
  • In this verse, however, we see that Lord Brahmā is described as bhagavān ādi-puruṣaḥ.
  • Lord Brahmā could understand Mahārāja Āgnīdhra’s desire because he is as powerful as Lord Viṣṇu.
  • Because Mahārāja Āgnīdhra specifically worshiped Lord Brahmā, Lord Brahmā was pleased, and he sent Pūrvacitti, the Apsarā, to satisfy 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.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 5.2.3 quotesSB 1.1.1

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.1), tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye: Lord Viṣṇu informs Lord Brahmā of everything from within his heart.

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

Responsibility → Renunciation. Leadership is set beside the renounced ideal.

Chapters 1–6 of Canto 5: Priyavrata and Ṛṣabhadeva. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 2: The Activities of Mahārāja Āgnīdhra

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Understanding his desire, Lord Brahmā sent a celestial girl named Pūrvacitti to Āgnīdhra’s hermitage. After dressing herself very attractively, she presented herself before him with various feminine movements, and Āgnīdhra was naturally attracted to her.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.2
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tatthat
  2. upalabhyaunderstanding
  3. bhagavānthe most powerful
  4. ādi-puruṣaḥthe first created being within this universe
  5. sadasiin his assembly
  6. gāyantīmdancing girl
  7. pūrvacittimPūrvacitti
  8. nāmanamed
  9. apsarasamthe heavenly dancing girl
  10. abhiyāpayām āsasent down
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 5.2

    In this verse: “understanding”, “understand”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 5.2

    In this verse: “king”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 5.2

    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

How does Brahmā’s dependence on Lord Viṣṇu help me understand the Supreme Lord’s position?

Practice

Spend a quiet minute remembering that Lord Viṣṇu knows your desires from within the heart.

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.

The purport quotesSB 1.1.1

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 5.2's connections

Live this todayBrahmā Represents 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 5.2.3? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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  3. Lead
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