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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 7.5.52

Who is speaking and story frame

धर्ममर्थं च कामं च नितरां चानुपूर्वश: ।

प्रह्रादायोचतू राजन्प्रश्रितावनताय च ॥ ५२ ॥

dharmam arthaṁ ca kāmaṁ ca

nitarāṁ cānupūrvaśaḥ

prahrādāyocatū rājan

praśritāvanatāya ca

Translation

Thereafter, Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka systematically and unceasingly taught Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was very submissive and humble, about mundane religion, economic development and sense gratification.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Goes Beyond Liberation

  1. 1

    Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka systematically taught mundane religion, economic development and sense gratification. Prahlāda Mahārāja remained humble and submissive.

  2. 2

    The Vedic process regulates economic development and sense gratification through religion. This makes liberation from material bondage easier to attain.

  3. 3

    Beyond dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa, one engages in devotional service. A person established on this genuinely liberated platform is guaranteed not to return to material existence.

Key points from the purport
  • There are four processes for human society — dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa — and they culminate in liberation.
  • Human society must follow a process of religion to advance, and on the basis of religion one should try to develop his economic condition so that he can fulfill his needs for sense gratification according to the religious rules and regulations.
  • Then he is guaranteed not to fall to material existence again.

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:

Thus the King of the demons, Hiraṇyakaśipu, being extremely angry, chastised the teachers, Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka, for having wrongly trained Prahlāda Mahārāja. The so-called teachers informed the King that Prahlāda Mahārāja was automatically a devotee and did not listen to their instructions.
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. dharmammundane occupational duty
  2. arthameconomic development
  3. caand
  4. kāmamsense gratification
  5. caand
  6. nitarāmalways
  7. caand
  8. anupūrvaśaḥaccording to order, or from the beginning to the end
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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 7.5

    In this verse: “sense gratification”, “material”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

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

    In this verse: “religion”, “dharma”

  • Dainya · Humility

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

    In this verse: “humble”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I seeking only material improvement, or am I making devotional service my goal?

Practice

Set aside five minutes today for devotional service rather than pursuing a material benefit.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevotional Service Goes Beyond LiberationThis 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 7.5.52? Get an answer from the verses themselves.