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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 4: Hiraṇyakaśipu Terrorizes the Universe
7.4.367.4.38

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.4.37

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 7.4.29inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

न्यस्तक्रीडनको बालो जडवत्तन्मनस्तया ।

कृष्णग्रहगृहीतात्मा न वेद जगदीद‍ृशम् ॥ ३७ ॥

nyasta-krīḍanako bālo

jaḍavat tan-manastayā

kṛṣṇa-graha-gṛhītātmā

na veda jagad īdṛśam

Translation

From the very beginning of his childhood, Prahlāda Mahārāja was uninterested in childish playthings. Indeed, he gave them up altogether and remained silent and dull, being fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Since his mind was always affected by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he could not understand how the world goes on being fully absorbed in the activities of sense gratification.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Pure Love Keeps Kṛṣṇa Always Present

  1. 1

    A mahā-bhāgavata, an exalted devotee, sees Kṛṣṇa everywhere through pure love. Such a devotee constantly sees the Lord within the heart.

  2. 2

    Although only a boy, Prahlāda had no interest in playthings because he was fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. His detachment expressed his natural attachment to Kṛṣṇa and first-class devotional service.

  3. 3

    Just as a materialistic person constantly thinks of material gain, Prahlāda constantly thought of Kṛṣṇa. An exalted devotee sees everyone but himself as engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service.

Key points from the purport
  • Prahlāda Mahārāja is the vivid example of a great person fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
  • In just the opposite way, Prahlāda Mahārāja was influenced by Kṛṣṇa, the supreme planet, and thus he could not think of the material world and live without Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
  • Just as a materialistic person is always absorbed in thoughts of material gain, a mahā-bhāgavata like Prahlāda Mahārāja is always absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa.

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 7.4.37 quotesCC Madhya 8.274

In Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 8.274) it is said: A fully Kṛṣṇa conscious person, although situated in this material world, does not see anything but Kṛṣṇa, anywhere and everywhere.

The purport of SB 7.4.37 quotesSB 11.2.42

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.42), viraktir anyatra ca: the symptom of perfect Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that one loses interest in all material activities.

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 4: Hiraṇyakaśipu Terrorizes the Universe

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Finally, Nārada Muni describes the characteristics of Prahlāda Mahārāja, the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, and describes how his father envied his own qualified son. In this way the chapter ends.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.4
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nyastahaving given up
  2. krīḍanakaḥall sportive activities or tendencies for childhood play
  3. bālaḥa boy
  4. jaḍa-vatas if dull, without activities
  5. tat-manastayāby being fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa
  6. kṛṣṇa-grahaby Kṛṣṇa, who is like a strong influence (like a graha, or planetary influence)
  7. gṛhīta-ātmāwhose mind was fully attracted
  8. nanot
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 7.4

    In this verse: “sense gratification”, “attachment”, “materialistic”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.4

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotee”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 7.4

    In this verse: “childhood”

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

What occupies my thoughts most often, and how can I give more attention to Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Use a brief moment normally spent on entertainment to remember Kṛṣṇa instead.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

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

The purport quotesSB 11.2.42

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 7.4's connections

Live this todayPure Love Keeps Kṛṣṇa Always PresentThis 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 7.4.37? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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