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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 2: Hiraṇyakaśipu, King of the Demons
7.2.67.2.9

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 7.2.7-8

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 7.2.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

तस्य त्यक्तस्वभावस्य घृणेर्मायावनौकस: ।

भजन्तं भजमानस्य बालस्येवास्थिरात्मन: ॥ ७ ॥

मच्छूलभिन्नग्रीवस्य भूरिणा रुधिरेण वै ।

असृक्प्रियं तर्पयिष्ये भ्रातरं मे गतव्यथ: ॥ ८ ॥

tasya tyakta-svabhāvasya

ghṛṇer māyā-vanaukasaḥ

bhajantaṁ bhajamānasya

bālasyevāsthirātmanaḥ

mac-chūla-bhinna-grīvasya

bhūriṇā rudhireṇa vai

asṛk-priyaṁ tarpayiṣye

bhrātaraṁ me gata-vyathaḥ

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has given up His natural tendency of equality toward the demons and demigods. Although He is the Supreme Person, now, influenced by māyā, He has assumed the form of a boar to please His devotees, the demigods, just as a restless child leans toward someone. I shall therefore sever Lord Viṣṇu’s head from His trunk by my trident, and with the profuse blood from His body I shall please my brother Hiraṇyākṣa, who was so fond of sucking blood. Thus shall I too be peaceful.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Responds to Loving Devotion

  1. 1

    Hiraṇyakaśipu wrongly thought that Lord Viṣṇu was changeable, materially conditioned and could be killed. The purport explains that conditioned beings mistakenly attribute their own limitations to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  2. 2

    Even unfavorable thought of Viṣṇu is effective, and demons generally attain sāyujya-mukti. Yet such hostile remembrance does not make them devotees.

  3. 3

    The Supreme Lord accepts a leaf, flower, fruit or water offered with love and devotion. His affection for His devotees is not childishness or material conditioning, but His quality of being bhakta-vatsala.

Key points from the purport
  • Actually, because the demons are ordinary human beings, their minds change, and being materially conditioned, they think that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is conditioned also.
  • Because the demons consider the Supreme Lord an ordinary living being, they think that they can kill Lord Viṣṇu as one might kill an ordinary person.
  • Because they are in love with the Supreme Lord, they do not eat anything without offering it first to the Lord.

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· 2

The purport of SB 7.2.7-8 quotesBG 9.11

As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (9.11), avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: “Fools deride Me when I descend in a human form.”

The purport of SB 7.2.7-8 quotesBG 9.26

Indirectly, this indicates the true position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who says in Bhagavad-gītā (9.26): “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.”

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

Pride and rage → Oppression. The ruler's power intensifies his insecurity.

Chapters 1–4 of Canto 7: Hiraṇyakaśipu's ascent and intimidation. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 2: Hiraṇyakaśipu, King of the Demons

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In anger, he accused the Supreme Personality of Godhead of being partial to His devotees and derided the Lord’s appearance as Varāha to kill his brother. He began to agitate all the demons and Rākṣasas and disturb the ritualistic ceremonies of the peaceful sages and other inhabitants of earth.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.2
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tasyaof Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead)
  2. tyakta-svabhāvasyawho has given up His natural position (of being equal to everyone)
  3. ghṛṇeḥmost abominable
  4. māyāunder the influence of the illusory energy
  5. vana-okasaḥbehaving exactly like an animal in the jungle
  6. bhajantamunto the devotee engaged in devotional service
  7. bhajamānasyabeing worshiped
  8. bālasyaa child
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.2

    In this verse: “māyā”, “materially”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.2

    In this verse: “devotees”, “devotion”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 7.2

    In this verse: “child”, “childishness”

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 can I make my offering to the Lord an expression of love rather than a mere formality?

Practice

Offer a little water or fruit to the Supreme Lord with love and devotion before taking it yourself.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 7.2's connections

Live this todayThe Lord Responds to Loving DevotionThis 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 7.2.7-8? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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