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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 7: Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Bṛhaspati.
6.7.206.7.22

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.7.21

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Brahmāsince 6.7.21inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीब्रह्मोवाच

अहो बत सुरश्रेष्ठा ह्यभद्रं व: कृतं महत् ।

ब्रह्मिष्ठं ब्राह्मणं दान्तमैश्वर्यान्नाभ्यनन्दत ॥ २१ ॥

śrī-brahmovāca

aho bata sura-śreṣṭhā

hy abhadraṁ vaḥ kṛtaṁ mahat

brahmiṣṭhaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ dāntam

aiśvaryān nābhyanandata

Translation

Lord Brahmā said: O best of the demigods, unfortunately, because of madness resulting from your material opulence, you failed to receive Bṛhaspati properly when he came to your assembly. Because he is aware of the Supreme Brahman and fully in control of his senses, he is the best of the brāhmaṇas. Therefore it is very astonishing that you have acted impudently toward him.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Never Take the Spiritual Master for Granted

  1. 1

    Bṛhaspati was a most qualified brāhmaṇa because he knew the Supreme Brahman and controlled his mind and senses.

  2. 2

    Puffed up by material possessions, the demigods took their guru’s regular visits for granted. Lord Brahmā condemned their neglect.

  3. 3

    The guru gives spiritual insight and should be regarded as one’s master, life after life. One should always offer the ācārya respect, never considering him an ordinary human being.

Key points from the purport
  • Lord Brahmā recognized the brahminical qualifications of Bṛhaspati, who was the spiritual master of the demigods because of his awareness of the Supreme Brahman.
  • Lord Brahmā chastised the demigods for not properly respecting this brāhmaṇa, who was their guru.
  • Thus all the demigods, headed by Indra, became offenders at the lotus feet of Bṛhaspati, and Lord Brahmā, being aware of this, condemned their neglect.

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 6.7.21 quotesSB 11.17.27

Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.17.27) advises, ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit/ na martya-buddhyāsūyeta: the ācārya should always be offered respectful obeisances; one should never envy the ācārya, considering him an ordinary human being.

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

Offense and dread → Moral reckoning. Heroic power does not guarantee inner freedom.

Chapters 7–10 of Canto 6: Indra, Bṛhaspati and the emergence of Vṛtrāsura. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 7: Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Bṛhaspati.

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Indra, being too absorbed in material opulence, forgot himself and did not respect Bṛhaspati, who thus became aware of Indra’s pride in his material opulence and immediately disappeared from the assembly to teach him a lesson. Indra became most repentant, understanding that because of his opulence he had forgotten to respect his spiritual master.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.7
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-brahmā uvācaLord Brahmā said
  2. ahoalas
  3. batait is very astonishing
  4. sura-śreṣṭhāḥO best of the demigods
  5. hiindeed
  6. abhadraminjustice
  7. vaḥby you
  8. kṛtamdone
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 6.7

    In this verse: “material”

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

Has familiarity or material comfort weakened my respect for spiritual guidance?

Practice

Offer respectful obeisances to your spiritual master today, remembering the gift of spiritual insight.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayNever Take the Spiritual Master for GrantedThis 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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