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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 4: The Haṁsa-guhya Prayers Offered to the Lord by Prajāpati Dakṣa
6.4.126.4.14

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.4.13

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 6.4.4inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

अन्तर्देहेषु भूतानामात्मास्ते हरिरीश्वर: ।

सर्वं तद्धिष्ण्यमीक्षध्वमेवं वस्तोषितो ह्यसौ ॥ १३ ॥

antar deheṣu bhūtānām

ātmāste harir īśvaraḥ

sarvaṁ tad-dhiṣṇyam īkṣadhvam

evaṁ vas toṣito hy asau

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated as the Supersoul within the cores of the hearts of all living entities, whether moving or nonmoving, including men, birds, animals, trees and, indeed, all living entities. Therefore you should consider every body a residence or temple of the Lord. By such vision you will satisfy the Lord. You should not angrily kill these living entities in the forms of trees.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

See Every Body as the Lord’s Temple

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead resides as the Supersoul within every living entity, whether moving or nonmoving.

  2. 2

    Because every body is the Lord’s residence, one should not destroy it out of unnecessary envy. Such destruction displeases the Supersoul.

  3. 3

    Soma reminded the Pracetās not to displease the Lord whom they had tried to satisfy. Seeing living bodies as His temples satisfies Him.

Key points from the purport
  • As stated in Bhagavad-gītā and confirmed by all the Vedic scriptures, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati: the Supersoul is situated within everyone’s heart.
  • Therefore, since everyone’s body is the residence of the Supreme Lord, one should not destroy the body because of unnecessary envy.
  • Soma told the Pracetās that because they had tried to satisfy the Supersoul, now they should not displease 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.

How it feels

Anger and conflict → Spiritual commitment. Competing understandings of duty create relational tension.

Chapters 4–6 of Canto 6: Dakṣa, Nārada and the consequences of preaching. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 4: The Haṁsa-guhya Prayers Offered to the Lord by Prajāpati Dakṣa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul, Lord Hari, is the controller of both the living entities and the material nature. He is self-sufficient and self-effulgent.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.4
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. antaḥ deheṣuwithin the bodies (in the cores of the hearts)
  2. bhūtānāmof all living entities
  3. ātmāthe Supersoul
  4. āsteresides
  5. hariḥthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  6. īśvaraḥthe Lord or director
  7. sarvamall
  8. tat-dhiṣṇyamHis place of residence
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

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 would seeing each body as the Lord’s residence change my treatment of living beings?

Practice

When you see a person, animal, or tree today, pause and remember that the Supersoul resides within.

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 6.4's connections

Live this todaySee Every Body as the Lord’s TempleThis 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 6.4.13? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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