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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 15: Instructions for Civilized Human Beings
7.15.757.15.77

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.15.76

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 7.15.72inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

स वा अयं ब्रह्म महद्विमृग्य

कैवल्यनिर्वाणसुखानुभूति: ।

प्रिय: सुहृद् व: खलु मातुलेय

आत्मार्हणीयो विधिकृद्गुरुश्च ॥ ७६ ॥

sa vā ayaṁ brahma mahad-vimṛgya-

kaivalya-nirvāṇa-sukhānubhūtiḥ

priyaḥ suhṛd vaḥ khalu mātuleya

ātmārhaṇīyo vidhi-kṛd guruś ca

Translation

How wonderful it is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Parabrahman, Kṛṣṇa, who is sought by great, great sages for the sake of liberation and transcendental bliss, is acting as your best well-wisher, your friend, your cousin, your heart and soul, your worshipable director, and your spiritual master.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa Guides From Within and Without

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead, sought by great sages, acted as the Pāṇḍavas’ friend, well-wisher, worshipable director, and spiritual master.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa sends His representative spiritual master to train the devotee. Only after this training does He act as the direct spiritual master within the advanced devotee’s heart.

  3. 3

    To those constantly devoted and worshiping Him with love, Kṛṣṇa gives the understanding needed to reach Him. He guides from without through His representative and from within as the spiritual master.

Key points from the purport
  • Kṛṣṇa can become the director and spiritual master of anyone who is serious about getting the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.
  • Kṛṣṇa does not become the direct spiritual master unless one is fully trained by His representative spiritual master.
  • Kṛṣṇa helps as the guru, or spiritual master, from within and from without.

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

Further reading

Chapter 15: Instructions for Civilized Human Beings

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Such a devotee, even though not performing ritualistic ceremonies, advances in spiritual consciousness by the supreme will of the Personality of Godhead. One may actually become successful in spiritual consciousness by the mercy of devotees, or one may fall from spiritual consciousness by being disrespectful to devotees.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.15
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saḥthat Supreme Personality of Godhead
  2. vāeither
  3. ayamKṛṣṇa
  4. brahmathe Supreme Brahman
  5. mahat-vimṛgyasought by great, great saintly persons (devotees of Kṛṣṇa)
  6. kaivalya-nirvāṇa-sukhaof liberation and transcendental bliss
  7. anubhūtiḥfor the realization
  8. priyaḥvery dear
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.15

    In this verse: “worshipable”, “devotee”

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 7.15

    In this verse: “friend”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 7.15

    In this verse: “understanding”

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

How willing am I to receive training rather than rely only on my own understanding?

Practice

Review one instruction from Kṛṣṇa’s representative spiritual master and take one small step to follow it today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Guides From Within and WithoutThis 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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