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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

7.13.20 7.13.22

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.13.21

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:The saintly brāhmaṇasince 7.13.21inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

श्रीब्राह्मण उवाच

वेदेदमसुरश्रेष्ठ भवान् नन्वार्यसम्मत: ।

ईहोपरमयोर्नृणां पदान्यध्यात्मचक्षुषा ॥ २१ ॥

śrī-brāhmaṇa uvāca

vededam asura-śreṣṭha

bhavān nanv ārya-sammataḥ

īhoparamayor nṝṇāṁ

padāny adhyātma-cakṣuṣā

Translation

The saintly brāhmaṇa said: O best of the asuras, Prahlāda Mahārāja, who are recognized by advanced and civilized men, you are aware of the different stages of life because of your inherent transcendental eyes, with which you can see a man’s character and thus know clearly the results of acceptance and rejection of things as they are.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Gives Pure Vision

1
The saintly brāhmaṇa praised Prahlāda Mahārāja as one recognized by advanced and civilized men.
2
Through his transcendental vision, Prahlāda Mahārāja understood people’s character and different stages of life. He could see the results of accepting and rejecting things.
3
The purport explains that a pure devotee like Prahlāda Mahārāja can understand others’ minds because of pure vision in devotional service.

Key points from the purport

A pure devotee like Prahlāda Mahārāja can understand the minds of others because of his pure vision in devotional service.
A devotee like Prahlāda Mahārāja can study another man’s character without difficulty.

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.

śrī-brāhmaṇaḥ uvācathe brāhmaṇa replied
vedaknow very well
idamall these things
asura-śreṣṭhaO best of the asuras
bhavānyou
nanuindeed
ārya-sammataḥwhose activities are approved by civilized men
īhāof inclination

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
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.13
In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotee”
Jñāna · Spiritual insight
Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 7.13
In this verse: “understand”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I seeking clearer understanding through devotional service rather than confidence in my own judgments?

Practice

Before judging someone today, pause and reflect on devotional service as the basis of Prahlāda Mahārāja’s pure vision.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevotional Service Gives Pure VisionThis 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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