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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.5.13

Who is speaking and story frame

स एष आत्मा स्वपरेत्यबुद्धिभि-

र्दुरत्ययानुक्रमणो निरूप्यते ।

मुह्यन्ति यद्वर्त्मनि वेदवादिनो

ब्रह्मादयो ह्येष भिनत्ति मे मतिम् ॥ १३ ॥

sa eṣa ātmā sva-parety abuddhibhir

duratyayānukramaṇo nirūpyate

muhyanti yad-vartmani veda-vādino

brahmādayo hy eṣa bhinatti me matim

Translation

Persons who always think in terms of “enemy” and “friend” are unable to ascertain the Supersoul within themselves. Not to speak of them, even such exalted persons as Lord Brahmā, who are fully conversant with the Vedic literature, are sometimes bewildered in following the principles of devotional service. The same Supreme Personality of Godhead who has created this situation has certainly given me the intelligence to take the side of your so-called enemy.

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’s Favor Gives True Understanding

  1. 1

    Those absorbed in distinctions of enemy and friend cannot ascertain the Supersoul within themselves. Even learned persons such as Lord Brahmā may sometimes be bewildered about devotional service.

  2. 2

    Prahlāda tells his teachers that they wrongly consider Lord Viṣṇu their enemy. Through the Lord’s favor, he understands that the Lord is everyone’s friend.

  3. 3

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead has given Prahlāda the intelligence to take His side. What the teachers see as siding with an enemy, Prahlāda recognizes as the Lord’s great favor.

Key points from the purport
  • Prahlāda Mahārāja admitted frankly, “My dear teachers, you wrongly think that Lord Viṣṇu is your enemy, but because He is favorable toward me, I understand that He is the friend of everyone.
  • You may think that I have taken the side of your enemy, but factually He has bestowed a great favor upon me.”

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

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 replied that a man engrossed in the material consciousness of duality, thinking, “This is mine, and that belongs to my enemy,” should give up his householder life and go to the forest to worship the Supreme Lord. When Hiraṇyakaśipu heard from his son about devotional service, he decided that this small boy had been polluted by some friend in school.
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. saḥHe
  2. eṣaḥthis
  3. ātmāSupersoul situated in everyone’s heart
  4. sva-parathis is my own business, and that is someone else’s
  5. itithus
  6. abuddhibhiḥby those who have such bad intelligence
  7. duratyayavery difficult to follow
  8. anukramaṇaḥwhose devotional service
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotional service”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 7.5

    In this verse: “principles”

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

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

    In this verse: “friend”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Do I recognize understanding of devotional service as the Lord’s favor rather than merely my own achievement?

Practice

Offer a brief prayer of gratitude for the opportunity to understand and follow devotional service.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord’s Favor Gives True UnderstandingThis 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 7.5.13? Get an answer from the verses themselves.