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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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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

7.1.25 7.1.27

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.1.26

Mukti· Liberation

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

तस्माद्वैरानुबन्धेन निर्वैरेण भयेन वा ।

स्‍नेहात्कामेन वा युञ्‍ज्यात् कथञ्चिन्नेक्षते पृथक् ॥ २६ ॥

tasmād vairānubandhena

nirvaireṇa bhayena vā

snehāt kāmena vā yuñjyāt

kathañcin nekṣate pṛthak

Translation

Therefore by enmity or by devotional service, by fear, by affection or by lusty desire — by all of these or any one of them — if a conditioned soul somehow or other concentrates his mind upon the Lord, the result is the same, for the Lord, because of His blissful position, is never affected by enmity or friendship.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Serve Kṛṣṇa Favorably, Never Through Enmity

1
Although the Lord can deliver even His enemies, this is not permission to blaspheme Him. Bhakti-yoga means serving Kṛṣṇa favorably.
2
Jaya and Vijaya’s enmity was an exceptional arrangement, and they constantly chanted Kṛṣṇa’s holy name. One should not imitate them or deliberately become the Lord’s enemy.
3
One should accept favorable conditions for devotional service and give up unfavorable activities. The conclusion is never to abandon pure devotional service, for fixed attention on Kṛṣṇa purifies and delivers one from material life.

Key points from the purport

From this verse one should not conclude that because Kṛṣṇa is unaffected by favorable prayers or unfavorable blasphemy one should therefore blaspheme the Supreme Lord.
One should not mistakenly think that Lord Kṛṣṇa must be worshiped by an inimical attitude like that of Śiśupāla.
As one should not try to be killed by embracing an enemy, a tiger or a snake, one should not blaspheme the Supreme Personality of Godhead and become His enemy in order to be put into hellish life.

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· 2

The purport of SB 7.1.26 quotesBG 16.19

As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (16.19): One should not try to worship Kṛṣṇa unfavorably; otherwise he must be punished, at least for one life, to be purified.

The purport of SB 7.1.26 quotesBG 9.11

Lord Kṛṣṇa further states in Bhagavad-gītā (9.11-12): Mūḍhas, rascals, blaspheme the Supreme Lord because He appears exactly like a 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

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.

tasmāttherefore
vaira-anubandhenaby constant enmity
nirvaireṇaby devotion
bhayenaby fear
vāor
snehātfrom affection
kāmenaby lusty desires
vāor

Key ideas in this verse

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

Mukti · Liberation
What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.1
In this verse: “lusty”, “material”
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.1
In this verse: “devotional service”, “bhakti-yoga”
Abhaya · Fearlessness
Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 7.1
In this verse: “fear”

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

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What can I accept or give up to make my service to Kṛṣṇa more favorable?

Practice

Spend two minutes chanting Kṛṣṇa’s holy name with the intention of serving Him favorably.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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 7.1's connections

Live this todayServe Kṛṣṇa Favorably, Never Through EnmityThis 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 7.1.26? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories