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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 7.8.48

Who is speaking and story frame

श्रीमनव ऊचु:

मनवो वयं तव निदेशकारिणो

दितिजेन देव परिभूतसेतव: ।

भवता खल: स उपसंहृत: प्रभो

करवाम ते किमनुशाधि किङ्करान् ॥ ४८ ॥

śrī-manava ūcuḥ

manavo vayaṁ tava nideśa-kāriṇo

ditijena deva paribhūta-setavaḥ

bhavatā khalaḥ sa upasaṁhṛtaḥ prabho

karavāma te kim anuśādhi kiṅkarān

Translation

All the Manus offered their prayers as follows: As Your order carriers, O Lord, we, the Manus, are the law-givers for human society, but because of the temporary supremacy of this great demon, Hiraṇyakaśipu, our laws for maintaining varṇāśrama-dharma were destroyed. O Lord, now that You have killed this great demon, we are in our normal condition. Kindly order us, Your eternal servants, what to do now.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Peace Through Following the Lord's Directions

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, teaches varṇāśrama-dharma so that society can live peacefully and advance in spiritual knowledge. It includes four social divisions and four spiritual divisions.

  2. 2

    The Manus compiled the Manu-saṁhitā, giving directions for human life based on varṇa and āśrama. Under rulers like Hiraṇyakaśipu, these systems of law and order are broken, and society loses its peace.

  3. 3

    The purport concludes that real peace requires following the principles of Manu-saṁhitā confirmed by Kṛṣṇa. The Manus identify themselves as the Lord's eternal servants and ask for His next orders.

Key points from the purport
  • In many places in Bhagavad-gītā, the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, refers to the varṇāśrama-dharma of four varṇas and four āśramas.
  • He teaches people about this varṇāśrama-dharma so that all of human society can live peacefully by observing the principles for the four social divisions and four spiritual divisions (varṇa and āśrama) and thus make advancement in spiritual knowledge.
  • The conclusion is that if we want real peace and order in the human society, we must follow the principles laid down by the Manu-saṁhitā and confirmed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

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

Terror and divine fury → Protection and compassion. The crisis resolves through relationship rather than domination.

Chapters 8–10 of Canto 7: Nṛsiṁhadeva appears; Prahlāda pacifies Him. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 8: Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva Slays the King of the Demons

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

These included the great saintly persons, the Pitās, the Siddhas, the Vidyādharas, the Nāgas, the Manus, the prajāpatis, the Gandharvas, the Cāraṇas, the Yakṣas, the Kimpuruṣas, the Vaitālikas, the Kinnaras and also many other varieties of beings in human form. All of them stood not far from the Supreme Personality of Godhead and began offering their prayers unto the Lord, whose spiritual effulgence was brilliant as He sat on the throne.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.8
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-manavaḥ ūcuḥall the Manus offered their respectful obeisances by saying
  2. manavaḥthe leaders of the universal affairs (especially in connection with giving knowledge to humanity about how to live lawfully under the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead)
  3. vayamwe
  4. tavaof Your Lordship
  5. nideśa-kāriṇaḥthe carriers of the orders
  6. diti-jenaby Hiraṇyakaśipu, the son of Diti
  7. devaO Lord
  8. paribhūtadisregarded
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 7.8

    In this verse: “varṇāśrama-dharma”, “principles”, “āśrama”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 7.8

    In this verse: “kindly”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 7.8

    In this verse: “rulers”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I approach my responsibilities as service to the Lord rather than as independent activity?

Practice

Before one responsibility today, pause and pray for the willingness to follow the Lord's directions.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Connected stories

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

Live this todayPeace Through Following the Lord's DirectionsThis 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 7.8.48? Get an answer from the verses themselves.