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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
7.10.587.10.60

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.10.59

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 7.10.53inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

तै: स्पृष्टा व्यसव: सर्वे निपेतु: स्म पुरौकस: ।

तानानीय महायोगी मय: कूपरसेऽक्षिपत् ॥ ५९ ॥

taiḥ spṛṣṭā vyasavaḥ sarve

nipetuḥ sma puraukasaḥ

tān ānīya mahā-yogī

mayaḥ kūpa-rase ’kṣipat

Translation

Attacked by Lord Śiva’s golden arrows, all the demoniac inhabitants of those three dwellings lost their lives and fell down. Then the great mystic Maya Dānava dropped the demons into a nectarean well that he had created.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Yoga’s Goal Is Devotion to Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Lord Śiva’s golden arrows killed the demoniac inhabitants of the three dwellings. Maya Dānava then placed them in a well of nectar that could bring a dead body to life.

  2. 2

    The actual purpose of mystic yoga is to concentrate fully on Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and always think of Him. The highest yogī worships Him with great faith in transcendental loving service.

  3. 3

    The asuras use mystic power for personal sense gratification instead of becoming devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Maya Dānava’s wonderful feats served the asuras, showing that extraordinary power is not itself the goal of yoga.

Key points from the purport
  • The asuras are generally extremely powerful because of their mystic yogic power.
  • Maya Dānava, for example, is mentioned here as mahā-yogī, a great mystic, but his business was to help the asuras.
  • Maya Dānava was such a person, a god among the demons, and he could perform some wonderful feats, one of which is described here: he made a well filled with nectar and dipped the asuras into that nectarean well.

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 7.10.59 quotesBG 6.47

However, as Lord Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (6.47): “Of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.”

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

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:

Later, Nārada Muni described how the demon Maya Dānava constructed Tripura for the demons, who became very powerful and defeated the demigods. Because of this defeat, Lord Rudra, Śiva, dismantled Tripura; thus he became famous as Tripurāri.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.10
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. taiḥby those (fiery arrows)
  2. spṛṣṭāḥbeing attacked or being touched
  3. vyasavaḥwithout life
  4. sarveall the demons
  5. nipetuḥfell down
  6. smaformerly
  7. pura-okasaḥbeing the inhabitants of the above-mentioned three residential airplanes
  8. tānall of them
3

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

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “maya”, “sense gratification”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotees”, “worships”

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

Are you more attracted to extraordinary powers or to loving devotional service to Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Spend one quiet minute thinking of Kṛṣṇa, with the intention of serving Him rather than seeking personal power.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayYoga’s Goal Is Devotion to KṛṣṇaThis 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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