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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

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
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

7.9.19 7.9.21

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.9.20

Āśraya· The supreme shelter

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Prahlāda Mahārājasince 7.9.9inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

यस्मिन्यतो यर्हि येन च यस्य यस्माद्

यस्मै यथा यदुत यस्त्वपर: परो वा ।

भाव: करोति विकरोति पृथक्स्वभाव:

सञ्चोदितस्तदखिलं भवत: स्वरूपम् ॥ २० ॥

yasmin yato yarhi yena ca yasya yasmād

yasmai yathā yad uta yas tv aparaḥ paro vā

bhāvaḥ karoti vikaroti pṛthak svabhāvaḥ

sañcoditas tad akhilaṁ bhavataḥ svarūpam

Translation

My dear Lord, everyone in this material world is under the modes of material nature, being influenced by goodness, passion and ignorance. Everyone — from the greatest personality, Lord Brahmā, down to the small ant — works under the influence of these modes. Therefore everyone in this material world is influenced by Your energy. The cause for which they work, the place where they work, the time when they work, the matter due to which they work, the goal of life they have considered final, and the process for obtaining this goal — all are nothing but manifestations of Your energy. Indeed, since the energy and energetic are identical, all of them are but manifestations of You.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Revive Spiritual Life Through Devotional Service

1
Everything happens under the supervision of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through His various energies. As the Supersoul in everyone’s heart, He gives inspiration for action according to each person’s mentality.
2
Working according to the material senses keeps us in material life. Acting according to the Lord’s transcendental direction places us in spiritual life.
3
Bhakti, devotional service, means giving up material designations and serving directly under the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This revives our original spiritual position and is real liberation.

Key points from the purport

Because everyone has a different goal of life, everyone acts differently, as guided by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The activities of bhakti, devotional service, are directly under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
When one gives up materially designated positions and works directly under the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one’s spiritual life is revived.

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

Chapter 9: Prahlāda Pacifies Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva with Prayers

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Therefore the ultimate goal of life for every living entity is to attain the position of being servant of the servant of the Lord. The miserable condition of the living entities in the material world can be remedied only by the mercy of the Lord.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 7.9

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

yasminin any condition of life
yataḥbecause of anything
yarhiat any time (past, present or future)
yenaby something
caalso
yasyain relationship with anyone
yasmātfrom any causal representative
yasmaiunto anyone (without discrimination in regard to place, person or time)

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
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.9
In this verse: “devotional service”, “bhakti”
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.9
In this verse: “material”

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I shaping my goal around material desires or the Lord’s direction to surrender to Him?

Practice

Pause before one action today and ask whether it serves only your senses or can be done in service to Kṛṣṇa.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

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

1 lecture given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

SB 7.9.2027 Feb 1976 · MayapurListen

Live this todayRevive Spiritual Life Through Devotional ServiceThis 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 7.9.20? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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