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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

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

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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

7.1.3 7.1.6

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 7.1.4-5

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 7.1.4-5inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीऋषिरुवाच

साधु पृष्टं महाराज हरेश्चरितमद्भ‍ुतम् ।

यद् भागवतमाहात्म्यं भगवद्भ‍क्तिवर्धनम् ॥ ४ ॥

गीयते परमं पुण्यमृषिभिर्नारदादिभि: ।

नत्वा कृष्णाय मुनये कथयिष्ये हरे: कथाम् ॥ ५ ॥

śrī-ṛṣir uvāca

sādhu pṛṣṭaṁ mahārāja

hareś caritam adbhutam

yad bhāgavata-māhātmyaṁ

bhagavad-bhakti-vardhanam

gīyate paramaṁ puṇyam

ṛṣibhir nāradādibhiḥ

natvā kṛṣṇāya munaye

kathayiṣye hareḥ kathām

Translation

The great sage Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, you have put before me an excellent question. Discourses concerning the activities of the Lord, in which the glories of His devotees are also found, are extremely pleasing to devotees. Such wonderful topics always counteract the miseries of the materialistic way of life. Therefore great sages like Nārada always speak upon Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam because it gives one the facility to hear and chant about the wonderful activities of the Lord. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrīla Vyāsadeva and then begin describing topics concerning the activities of Lord Hari.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Hear About Kṛṣṇa Whenever You Can

1
Topics about the Lord’s activities and His devotees’ glories are deeply pleasing to devotees. They counteract the miseries of materialistic life.
2
Śukadeva Gosvāmī first offers respectful obeisances to his spiritual master, Vyāsadeva. One should honor one’s spiritual master before describing the Lord’s activities.
3
Whenever an opportunity to hear about the Lord arises, we should take it. Chanting, speaking and hearing about Kṛṣṇa are the occupation of a Kṛṣṇa conscious person.

Key points from the purport

In this verse Śukadeva Gosvāmī offers his respectful obeisances kṛṣṇāya munaye, which means to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī’s spiritual master is his father, Vyāsadeva, and therefore he first offers his respectful obeisances to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa and then begins describing topics of Lord Hari.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ: one should always engage in kṛṣṇa-kathā by chanting and talking about Kṛṣṇa and hearing about 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

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:

In this chapter, in response to a question by Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Śukadeva Gosvāmī gives his conclusions concerning how the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although the Supersoul, friend and protector of everyone, killed the Daityas, the demons, for the sake of Indra, the King of heaven. In his statements, he totally refutes the arguments of people in general who accuse the Supreme Lord of partiality.

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

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

śrī-ṛṣiḥ uvācathe sage Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
sādhuexcellent
pṛṣṭaminquiry
mahā-rājaO great King
hareḥof the Supreme Lord, Hari
caritamactivities
adbhutamwonderful
yatfrom which

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
Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting
Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 7.1
In this verse: “chant”, “chanting”, “hearing”
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.1
In this verse: “devotees”, “devotees’”
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.1
In this verse: “materialistic”

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 opportunity to hear or speak about Kṛṣṇa can I welcome today?

Practice

Offer respectful obeisances to Śrīla Vyāsadeva, then spend five minutes reading aloud about the Lord from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayHear About Kṛṣṇa Whenever You CanThis 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 7.1.4-5? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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