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

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Canto 7 · The Science of God · 15 chapters

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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

How to study this verse, in six steps

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.

Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›

Canto 7 · Chapter 1: The Supreme Lord Is Equal to Everyone

7.1.22 7.1.24

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.1.23

Ūti· What drives us to act

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Nārada Munisince 7.1.23inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

श्रीनारद उवाच

निन्दनस्तवसत्कारन्यक्कारार्थं कलेवरम् ।

प्रधानपरयो राजन्नविवेकेन कल्पितम् ॥ २३ ॥

śrī-nārada uvāca

nindana-stava-satkāra-

nyakkārārthaṁ kalevaram

pradhāna-parayo rājann

avivekena kalpitam

Translation

The great sage Śrī Nāradajī said: O King, blasphemy and praise, chastisement and respect, are experienced because of ignorance. The body of the conditioned soul is planned by the Lord for suffering in the material world through the agency of the external energy.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Is Beyond Material Reactions

1
The material body is made by the external energy under the Supreme Lord’s direction. Seated on this bodily machine, the conditioned soul wanders and suffers through bodily identification.
2
The pain of insults and the enjoyment of praise belong to the material conception of life. The Supreme Personality of Godhead’s body is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, so He remains unaffected and complete.
3
The Lord does not become more complete through a devotee’s prayers, but the devotee benefits by offering them. Even someone attached to thinking of Him as an enemy receives benefit.

Key points from the purport

A material body is manufactured by the external energy according to the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Actually the suffering of being blasphemed and the enjoyment of being praised, the acceptance of a good welcome or of chastisement by harsh words, are felt in the material conception of life; but since the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not material but sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, He is unaffected by insults or greetings, blasphemy or prayers.
If a conditioned soul, thinking of the Lord as an enemy or a friend, somehow or other becomes attached to the Lord, he receives great benefit.

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 7.1.23 quotesBG 18.61

In Bhagavad-gītā (18.61) it is said: “The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of material energy.”

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

Pride and rage → Oppression. The ruler's power intensifies his insecurity.

Chapters 1–4 of Canto 7: Hiraṇyakaśipu's ascent and intimidation. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 1: The Supreme Lord Is Equal to Everyone

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī proves that because the body of the conditioned soul is infected by the three qualities of nature, dualities arise such as enmity and friendship, attachment and detachment. For the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, there are no such dualities.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 7.1

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

śrī-nāradaḥ uvācaŚrī Nārada Muni said
nindanablasphemy
stavapraise
satkārahonor
nyakkāradishonor
arthamfor the purpose of
kalevarambody
pradhāna-parayoḥof nature and the Supreme Personality of Godhead

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 7.1
In this verse: “material”, “attached”
Karuṇā · Compassion
Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 7.1
In this verse: “suffering”
Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership
Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 7.1
In this verse: “king”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How might remembering the Lord’s completeness change the way I offer prayers?

Practice

Offer one short prayer to the Lord, remembering that the benefit is yours and that He is already complete.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Is Beyond Material ReactionsThis 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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