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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 9: Prahlāda Pacifies Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva with Prayers
7.9.17.9.3

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.9.2

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 7.9.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

साक्षात् श्री: प्रेषिता देवैर्द‍ृष्ट्वा तं महदद्भ‍ुतम् ।

अदृष्टाश्रुतपूर्वत्वात् सा नोपेयाय शङ्किता ॥ २ ॥

sākṣāt śrīḥ preṣitā devair

dṛṣṭvā taṁ mahad adbhutam

adṛṣṭāśruta-pūrvatvāt

sā nopeyāya śaṅkitā

Translation

The goddess of fortune, Lakṣmījī, was requested to go before the Lord by all the demigods present, who because of fear could not do so. But even she had never seen such a wonderful and extraordinary form of the Lord, and thus she could not approach Him.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotion Brings Fearlessness Before the Lord

  1. 1

    The Lord has unlimited forms and bodily features. Inspired by līlā-śakti, Lakṣmīdevī did not approach His extraordinary form as Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva.

  2. 2

    By the Lord’s grace, a devotee can understand that He may appear in any form He likes. Such a devotee is not afraid of His fearsome form.

  3. 3

    Through the Lord’s special favor, Prahlāda Mahārāja remained silent and unafraid. A pure devotee maintains fearlessness even in dangerous conditions.

Key points from the purport
  • In other words, for the common men the form of the Lord as Nṛsiṁhadeva is certainly unseen and wonderful, but for a devotee like Prahlāda Mahārāja such a fearsome form of the Lord is not at all extraordinary.
  • Therefore the devotee is never afraid of such a form.
  • Because of special favor bestowed upon Prahlāda Mahārāja, he remained silent and unafraid, even though all the demigods, including even Lakṣmīdevī, were afraid of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva.

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· 1

The purport of SB 7.9.2 quotesSB 6.17.28

Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati. Not only is a pure devotee of Nārāyaṇa like Prahlāda Mahārāja unafraid of any dangerous condition of material life, but also if the Lord appears in order to mitigate the fear of a devotee, the devotee maintains his status of fearlessness in all circumstances.

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

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 9: Prahlāda Pacifies Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva with Prayers

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Even mother Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, the constant companion of Nārāyaṇa, could not dare come before Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva. Then Lord Brahmā asked Prahlāda Mahārāja to go forward and pacify the Lord’s anger.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.9
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sākṣātdirectly
  2. śrīḥthe goddess of fortune
  3. preṣitābeing requested to go forward before the Lord
  4. devaiḥby all the demigods (headed by Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva)
  5. dṛṣṭvāafter seeing
  6. tamHim (Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva)
  7. mahatvery big
  8. adbhutamwonderful
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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

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “fear”, “fearsome”, “afraid”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “grace”, “favor”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “devotee”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does Prahlāda Mahārāja’s fearlessness teach me about depending on the Lord’s grace?

Practice

Take one quiet minute to reflect on Prahlāda Mahārāja remaining unafraid before Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva.

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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.

1 lecture given on it · quoted in 1 more lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 1 other lecture

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 6.17.28

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 7.9's connections

Live this todayDevotion Brings Fearlessness Before the LordThis 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 7.9.2? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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