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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 13: The Behavior of a Perfect Person

7.13.10 7.13.12-13

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.13.11

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Nārada Munisince 7.13.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् ।

प्रह्रादस्य च संवादं मुनेराजगरस्य च ॥ ११ ॥

atrāpy udāharantīmam

itihāsaṁ purātanam

prahrādasya ca saṁvādaṁ

muner ājagarasya ca

Translation

As a historical example of this, learned sages recite the story of an ancient discussion between Prahlāda Mahārāja and a great saintly person who was feeding himself like a python.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Learning From a Saintly Conversation

1
Learned sages recite an ancient discussion between Prahlāda Mahārāja and a great saintly person as a historical example.
2
The saint practiced ājagara-vṛtti, living like a python. He stayed in one place and ate whatever was automatically available.
3
Prahlāda Mahārāja met this saint with his associates and spoke with him. Their conversation provides an opportunity to learn about saintly life.

Key points from the purport

The saintly person met by Prahlāda Mahārāja was undergoing ājagara-vṛtti, the living conditions of a python, which does not go anywhere but sits in one place for years and eats whatever is automatically available.
Prahlāda Mahārāja, along with his associates, met this great saint and spoke to him as follows.

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

Seriousness → Principled living. The example of bhakti becomes a guide to daily life.

Chapters 11–15 of Canto 7: Teachings on social and spiritual conduct. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 13: The Behavior of a Perfect Person

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In this regard, Nārada Muni described a meeting between Prahlāda and a saintly person who had adopted the mode of life of a python. In this way he described the symptoms of a paramahaṁsa.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 7.13

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

atraherein
apialthough not exposed to common eyes
udāharantithe learned sages recite as an example
imamthis
itihāsamhistorical incident
purātanamvery, very old
prahrādasyaof Prahlāda Mahārāja
caalso

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 7.13
In this verse: “recite”

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 interests me about a saint who accepts whatever food becomes available?

Practice

Today, pause before one meal and appreciate the food already available to you.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLearning From a Saintly ConversationThis 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 7.13.11? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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