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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
  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 7 · Chapter 10: Prahlāda, the Best Among Exalted Devotees
7.10.127.10.14

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.10.13

Nirodha· Winding up
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 7.10.11inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

भोगेन पुण्यं कुशलेन पापं

कलेवरं कालजवेन हित्वा ।

कीर्तिं विशुद्धां सुरलोकगीतां

विताय मामेष्यसि मुक्तबन्ध: ॥ १३ ॥

bhogena puṇyaṁ kuśalena pāpaṁ

kalevaraṁ kāla-javena hitvā

kīrtiṁ viśuddhāṁ sura-loka-gītāṁ

vitāya mām eṣyasi mukta-bandhaḥ

Translation

My dear Prahlāda, while you are in this material world you will exhaust all the reactions of pious activity by feeling happiness, and by acting piously you will neutralize impious activity. Because of the powerful time factor, you will give up your body, but the glories of your activities will be sung in the upper planetary systems, and being fully freed from all bondage, you will return home, back to Godhead.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Live Expertly by Remembering the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    The Lord promises Prahlāda that he will become free from all bondage and return home, back to Godhead. His purified activities will be praised in the upper planetary systems.

  2. 2

    Devotees may attain perfection through devotional practice or be eternally perfect. Prahlāda Mahārāja is described as perfect in both ways.

  3. 3

    Living expertly means always thinking of the Supreme Lord amid the dangers and dualities of this world. An exalted devotee like Prahlāda Mahārāja is jīvan-mukta, liberated even while living in the material body.

Key points from the purport
  • One should live in the material world very expertly.
  • The material world is known as the world of duality because one sometimes has to act impiously and sometimes has to act piously.
  • An exalted devotee like Prahlāda Mahārāja is jīvan-mukta; he is liberated even in this very life in the material body.

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

Terror and divine fury → Protection and compassion. The crisis resolves through relationship rather than domination.

Chapters 8–10 of Canto 7: Nṛsiṁhadeva appears; Prahlāda pacifies Him. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 10: Prahlāda, the Best Among Exalted Devotees

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The Lord gave him the benediction that he would be the king of this material world until the end of the manvantara millennium and that although in this material world, he would have the facility to hear the glories of the Lord and depend fully on the Lord, performing service to Him in uncontaminated bhakti-yoga. The Lord advised Prahlāda to perform sacrifices through bhakti-yoga, for this is the duty of a king.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.10
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. bhogenaby feelings of material happiness
  2. puṇyampious activities or their results
  3. kuśalenaby acting piously (devotional service is the best of all pious activities)
  4. pāpamall kinds of reactions to impious activities
  5. kalevaramthe material body
  6. kāla-javenaby the most powerful time factor
  7. hitvāgiving up
  8. kīrtimreputation
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Nirodha · Returning home, back to Godhead

    What happens when everything here comes to an end? · Subject 8 of 10

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 7.10

    In this verse: “give up”, “free from”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.10

    In this verse: “devotional”, “devotees”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.10

    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

What could help me remember the Supreme Lord during a difficult situation?

Practice

When one difficulty arises today, pause briefly to remember the Supreme Lord before responding.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLive Expertly by Remembering the Supreme LordThis 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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