1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

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

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 7 · The Science of God · 15 chapters

123456789101112131415

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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
7.10.287.10.30

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.10.29

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Brahmāsince 7.10.26inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

एतद् वपुस्ते भगवन्ध्यायत: परमात्मन: ।

सर्वतो गोप्तृ सन्त्रासान्मृत्योरपि जिघांसत: ॥ २९ ॥

etad vapus te bhagavan

dhyāyataḥ paramātmanaḥ

sarvato goptṛ santrāsān

mṛtyor api jighāṁsataḥ

Translation

My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are the Supreme Soul. If one meditates upon Your transcendental body, You naturally protect him from all sources of fear, even the imminent danger of death.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Protects Beyond Karma and Death

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Soul. He protects those who meditate on His transcendental body from all sources of fear, even imminent death.

  2. 2

    Everyone ordinarily has a limited duration of life. By His mercy, however, the Lord can extend a devotee’s lifetime and nullify the results of karma.

  3. 3

    A devotee is not under the laws of karma. Even a scheduled death can be avoided by the Supreme Lord’s causeless mercy.

Key points from the purport
  • Everyone is sure to die, for no one is excused from the hands of death, which is but a feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham).
  • Therefore even a devotee’s scheduled death can be avoided by the causeless mercy of the Supreme Lord.
  • God protects the devotee even from the extreme danger of death.

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 Supreme Personality of Godhead was greatly pleased with Prahlāda Mahārāja for his unalloyed devotion, yet the Lord provided him one material benediction — that he would be perfectly happy in this world and live his next life in Vaikuṇṭha.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.10
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. etatthis
  2. vapuḥbody
  3. teYour
  4. bhagavanO Supreme Personality of Godhead
  5. dhyāyataḥthose who meditate upon
  6. parama-ātmanaḥof the Supreme Person
  7. sarvataḥfrom everywhere
  8. goptṛthe protector
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 7.10

    In this verse: “fear”, “danger”, “death”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 7.10

    In this verse: “protect”, “protects”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 7.10

    In this verse: “mercy”, “causeless”

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

When fear arises, how can I turn my attention toward the Lord and His mercy?

Practice

Spend one quiet minute meditating on the Lord’s transcendental form and seeking His shelter.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Protects Beyond Karma and DeathThis 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 7.10.29? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
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