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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 · Texts 7.6.20-23

Who is speaking and story frame

परावरेषु भूतेषु ब्रह्मान्तस्थावरादिषु ।

भौतिकेषु विकारेषु भूतेष्वथ महत्सु च ॥ २० ॥

गुणेषु गुणसाम्ये च गुणव्यतिकरे तथा ।

एक एव परो ह्यात्मा भगवानीश्वरोऽव्यय: ॥ २१ ॥

प्रत्यगात्मस्वरूपेण द‍ृश्यरूपेण च स्वयम् ।

व्याप्यव्यापकनिर्देश्यो ह्यनिर्देश्योऽविकल्पित: ॥ २२ ॥

केवलानुभवानन्दस्वरूप: परमेश्वर: ।

माययान्तर्हितैश्वर्य ईयते गुणसर्गया ॥ २३ ॥

parāvareṣu bhūteṣu

brahmānta-sthāvarādiṣu

bhautikeṣu vikāreṣu

bhūteṣv atha mahatsu ca

guṇeṣu guṇa-sāmye ca

guṇa-vyatikare tathā

eka eva paro hy ātmā

bhagavān īśvaro ’vyayaḥ

pratyag-ātma-svarūpeṇa

dṛśya-rūpeṇa ca svayam

vyāpya-vyāpaka-nirdeśyo

hy anirdeśyo ’vikalpitaḥ

kevalānubhavānanda-

svarūpaḥ parameśvaraḥ

māyayāntarhitaiśvarya

īyate guṇa-sargayā

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, who is infallible and indefatigable, is present in different forms of life, from the inert living beings [sthāvara], such as the plants, to Brahmā, the foremost created living being. He is also present in the varieties of material creations and in the material elements, the total material energy and the modes of material nature [sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa], as well as the unmanifested material nature and the false ego. Although He is one, He is present everywhere, and He is also the transcendental Supersoul, the cause of all causes, who is present as the observer in the cores of the hearts of all living entities. He is indicated as that which is pervaded and as the all-pervading Supersoul, but actually He cannot be indicated. He is changeless and undivided. He is simply perceived as the supreme sac-cid-ānanda [eternity, knowledge and bliss]. Being covered by the curtain of the external energy, to the atheist He appears nonexistent.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Realize the All-Pervading Lord Through Devotion

  1. 1

    The Supreme Lord is present as the Supersoul in every living entity’s heart and also pervades the entire creation. He exists everywhere, at all times and in all circumstances.

  2. 2

    The Lord is realized as Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the origin of Brahman and Paramātmā and the ultimate realization of the Absolute Truth.

  3. 3

    The curtain of material energy hides the Lord’s presence from ordinary vision. Through association with a pure devotee, accepting instructions in devotional service and surrendering to the Lord, one can understand Him.

Key points from the purport
  • Not only is the Supreme Personality of Godhead present as the Supersoul of all living entities; at the same time, He pervades everything in the entire creation.
  • Therefore, Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the ultimate realization of the Absolute Truth.
  • The Absolute, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is most intimately related to all living entities.

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 7.6.20-23 quotesBG 7.14

This is confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (7.14): The process of surrender in a devotional attitude is accepted by a fortunate living being.

The purport of SB 7.6.20-23 quotesCC Madhya 19.151

Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in His teachings to Rūpa Gosvāmī said: The living entity in the material condition wanders through many varieties of life and many varieties of circumstances, but if he comes in contact with a pure devotee and is intelligent enough to take instructions from the pure devotee regarding the process of devotional service, he can understand the…

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 6: Prahlāda Instructs His Demoniac Schoolmates

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Material education is infected by the three modes of nature, but spiritual education, for which there is a great need in human society, is transcendental. Prahlāda Mahārāja disclosed the secret of how he had received instructions from Nārada Muni.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.6
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. para-avareṣuin exalted or hellish conditions of life
  2. bhūteṣuin the living beings
  3. brahma-antaending with Lord Brahmā
  4. sthāvara-ādiṣubeginning with the nonmoving forms of life, the trees and plants
  5. bhautikeṣuof the material elements
  6. vikāreṣuin the transformations
  7. bhūteṣuin the five gross elements of material nature
  8. athamoreover
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 7.6

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “absolute truth”, “understand”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.6

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

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 7.6

    In this verse: “false ego”

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

How can accepting a devotee’s instructions help me understand the Lord’s presence?

Practice

Reread one instruction on devotional service in this purport and choose how you will apply it today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

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

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

Show 1 more lecture on it
Quoted in 3 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.

Live this todayRealize the All-Pervading Lord Through DevotionThis 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 7.6.20-23? Get an answer from the verses themselves.