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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 5: Prahlāda Mahārāja, the Saintly Son of Hiraṇyakaśipu
7.5.117.5.13

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.5.12

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Prahlāda Mahārājasince 7.5.11inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

स यदानुव्रत: पुंसां पशुबुद्धिर्विभिद्यते ।

अन्य एष तथान्योऽहमिति भेदगतासती ॥ १२ ॥

sa yadānuvrataḥ puṁsāṁ

paśu-buddhir vibhidyate

anya eṣa tathānyo ’ham

iti bheda-gatāsatī

Translation

When the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased with the living entity because of his devotional service, one becomes a paṇḍita and does not make distinctions between enemies, friends and himself. Intelligently, he then thinks, “Every one of us is an eternal servant of God, and therefore we are not different from one another.”

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Appreciate Everyone’s Service to Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    When the Lord is pleased by devotional service, one gains the understanding that everyone is His eternal servant. Prahlāda attributes this understanding to the grace of his spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa.

  2. 2

    A devotee sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead in everyone’s heart and every living entity as His servant. This spiritual oneness does not remove the relationship of master and servant.

  3. 3

    Everyone should appreciate another’s service rather than condemn it or become proud of their own. Kṛṣṇa gives understanding to those who sincerely serve Him with love.

Key points from the purport
  • Demons think of everyone as a friend or enemy, but Vaiṣṇavas say that since everyone is a servant of the Lord, everyone is on the same platform.
  • Everyone should be friendly for the service of the Lord.
  • Everyone is actually a servant, not an enemy or friend, and everyone is working under different directions from the Lord, who directs each living entity according to his mentality.

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 7.5.12 quotesBG 15.15

As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: the Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, giving dictation according to the attitude of the servant.

The purport of SB 7.5.12 quotesBG 10.10

As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10): “To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.”

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

Threat → Steady faith. A vulnerable child remains inwardly unshaken.

Chapters 5–7 of Canto 7: Prahlāda refuses to abandon his devotion. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 5: Prahlāda Mahārāja, the Saintly Son of Hiraṇyakaśipu

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Prahlāda Mahārāja never liked the idea of discriminating between one’s friends and enemies. Because he was spiritually inclined, he was equal toward everyone.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.5
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saḥthat Supreme Personality of Godhead
  2. yadāwhen
  3. anuvrataḥfavorable or pleased
  4. puṁsāmof the conditioned souls
  5. paśu-buddhiḥthe animalistic conception of life (“I am the Supreme, and everyone is God”)
  6. vibhidyateis destroyed
  7. anyaḥanother
  8. eṣaḥthis
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.5

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

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 7.5

    In this verse: “friends”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 7.5

    In this verse: “proud”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Can I appreciate another person’s service without comparing it with my own?

Practice

Offer one sincere word of appreciation for someone’s service to Kṛṣṇa today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayAppreciate Everyone’s Service to KṛṣṇaThis 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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