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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
7.5.227.5.25

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 7.5.23-24

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Prahlāda Mahārājasince 7.5.23-24inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira
A turning point forPrahlāda Mahārāja· The child speaks

श्रीप्रह्राद उवाच

श्रवणं कीर्तनं विष्णो: स्मरणं पादसेवनम् ।

अर्चनं वन्दनं दास्यं सख्यमात्मनिवेदनम् ॥ २३ ॥

इति पुंसार्पिता विष्णौ भक्तिश्चेन्नवलक्षणा ।

क्रियेत भगवत्यद्धा तन्मन्येऽधीतमुत्तमम् ॥ २४ ॥

śrī-prahrāda uvāca

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau

bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā

kriyeta bhagavaty addhā

tan manye ’dhītam uttamam

Translation

Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) — these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Nine Processes of Pure Devotional Service

  1. 1

    The nine processes are hearing, chanting, remembering, serving the Lord’s lotus feet, worshiping, praying, becoming His servant, considering Him one’s best friend, and surrendering everything to Him. A person dedicated to serving Kṛṣṇa through these methods has complete knowledge.

  2. 2

    Pure devotional service means acting for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without desire for material gain. The devotee first surrenders body, mind and words, then uses them in His service.

  3. 3

    Everyone can offer devotional service to the Lord. Even one of these nine processes, performed without deviation, is sufficient to attain His mercy.

Key points from the purport
  • Hearing of the holy name of the Lord (śravaṇam) is the beginning of devotional service.
  • Therefore hearing of the holy name, form and qualities of the Lord is essential.
  • While chanting the holy name of the Lord, one should be careful to avoid ten offenses.

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· 5

The purport of SB 7.5.23-24 quotesSB 11.2.42

Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca. This is the symptom of pure devotional service.

The purport of SB 7.5.23-24 quotesBG 9.32

As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.32), striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim: although women, vaiśyas and śūdras are considered less intelligent, they also can become devotees and return home, back to Godhead.

The purport of SB 7.5.23-24 quotesSB 1.5.11

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.11) there is this verse: “Verses describing the name, form and qualities of Anantadeva, the unlimited Supreme Lord, are able to vanquish all the sinful reactions of the entire world.

The purport of SB 7.5.23-24 quotesSB 2.1.11

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.1.11) Śukadeva Gosvāmī tells King Parīkṣit: “O King, for great yogīs who have completely renounced all material connections, for those who desire all material enjoyment and for those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord is recommended.”

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.21.34

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam. This ninefold process is described in this verse as viśuddha-vijñāna-ghanaḥ, or satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly by transcendental knowledge concentrated on the form of the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu.

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:

As usual, Prahlāda Mahārāja began praising the nine processes of devotional service, such as śravaṇam and kīrtanam. Thus the King of the demons, Hiraṇyakaśipu, being extremely angry, chastised the teachers, Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka, for having wrongly trained Prahlāda Mahārāja.
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. śrī-prahrādaḥ uvācaPrahlāda Mahārāja said
  2. śravaṇamhearing
  3. kīrtanamchanting
  4. viṣṇoḥof Lord Viṣṇu (not anyone else)
  5. smaraṇamremembering
  6. pāda-sevanamserving the feet
  7. arcanamoffering worship (with ṣoḍaśopacāra, the sixteen kinds of paraphernalia)
  8. vandanamoffering prayers
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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”, “worship”, “devotee”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 7.5

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”, “holy name”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 7.5

    In this verse: “surrendering”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which of these nine processes can I practice sincerely for Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction?

Practice

Spend five minutes reading aloud and hearing a description of Kṛṣṇa from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, with the intention of pleasing Him.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

3 lectures given on it · quoted in 214 more lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Show 1 more lecture on it
Quoted in 214 other lectures

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

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Connected stories

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

The purport quotesSB 11.2.42SB 1.5.11SB 2.1.11

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 7.5's connections

Live this todayNine Processes of Pure Devotional ServiceOne of the 108 chosen lessons: a practice and a question from this verse

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 7.5.23-24? Get an answer from the verses themselves.