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

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Canto 6 · Prescribed Duties for Mankind · 19 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 6 · Chapter 12: Vṛtrāsura’s Glorious Death
6.12.186.12.20

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.12.19

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Indrasince 6.12.19inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

इन्द्र उवाच

अहो दानव सिद्धोऽसि यस्य ते मतिरीद‍ृशी ।

भक्त: सर्वात्मनात्मानं सुहृदं जगदीश्वरम् ॥ १९ ॥

indra uvāca

aho dānava siddho ’si

yasya te matir īdṛśī

bhaktaḥ sarvātmanātmānaṁ

suhṛdaṁ jagad-īśvaram

Translation

Indra said: O great demon, I see by your discrimination and endurance in devotional service, despite your dangerous position, that you are a perfect devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul and friend of everyone.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotion Remains Steady in Great Difficulty

  1. 1

    Indra recognized Vṛtrāsura’s discrimination and endurance in devotional service despite danger. He praised him as a perfect devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the friend of everyone.

  2. 2

    One established in Kṛṣṇa consciousness considers no gain greater and is not shaken even by great difficulty. Vṛtrāsura’s steadiness revealed his unalloyed devotion.

  3. 3

    By the Supreme Lord’s grace, anyone can become an exalted devotee. An unalloyed devotee is sure to return home, back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • Indra was surprised to see that Vṛtrāsura, undisturbed, was fixed in devotional service to the Lord, for such a mentality is impossible for a demon.
  • However, by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, anyone can become an exalted devotee (striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim).
  • An unalloyed devotee is sure to return home, back to Godhead.

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 6.12.19 quotesBG 6.22

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (6.22): “Established in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain.

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

Danger → Fearless longing. A seeming enemy reveals the heart of a great devotee.

Chapters 11–13 of Canto 6: Vṛtrāsura's prayers and final battle. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 12: Vṛtrāsura’s Glorious Death

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

When one understands, however, that the real controller is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is freed from the relativities of the world, such as distress, happiness, fear and impurity.” Thus Indra and Vṛtrāsura not only fought, but also engaged in philosophical discourses.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.12
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. indraḥ uvācaIndra said
  2. ahohello
  3. dānavaO demon
  4. siddhaḥ asiyou are now perfect
  5. yasyawhose
  6. teyour
  7. matiḥconsciousness
  8. īdṛśīsuch as this
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 6.12

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotee”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 6.12

    In this verse: “dangerous”, “danger”

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 6.12

    In this verse: “friend”

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 would it mean for me to value devotional service more than relief from difficulty?

Practice

Set aside a few minutes for devotional service today, even if circumstances feel difficult.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevotion Remains Steady in Great DifficultyThis 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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