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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

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

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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

7.9.37 7.9.39

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.9.38

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

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

इत्थं नृतिर्यगृषिदेवझषावतारै-

र्लोकान् विभावयसि हंसि जगत्प्रतीपान् ।

धर्मं महापुरुष पासि युगानुवृत्तं

छन्न: कलौ यदभवस्त्रियुगोऽथ स त्वम् ॥ ३८ ॥

itthaṁ nṛ-tiryag-ṛṣi-deva-jhaṣāvatārair

lokān vibhāvayasi haṁsi jagat pratīpān

dharmaṁ mahā-puruṣa pāsi yugānuvṛttaṁ

channaḥ kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo ’tha sa tvam

Translation

In this way, my Lord, You appear in various incarnations as a human being, an animal, a great saint, a demigod, a fish or a tortoise, thus maintaining the entire creation in different planetary systems and killing the demoniac principles. According to the age, O my Lord, You protect the principles of religion. In the Age of Kali, however, You do not assert Yourself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore You are known as Triyuga, or the Lord who appears in three yugas.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Appears as a Devotee

1
The Lord appears in various incarnations to maintain creation, protect religious principles and oppose demoniac principles. Lord Caitanya appeared to protect the fallen souls of Kali-yuga.
2
Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He played the part of a devotee. He did not assert His identity with Kṛṣṇa, knowing that many false incarnations would appear in Kali-yuga.
3
Intelligent people worship Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu through saṅkīrtana. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement follows the saṅkīrtana movement He inaugurated as the means to understand the Supreme Lord.

Key points from the purport

In all the yugas but Kali-yuga, the Lord appears in various incarnations and asserts Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but although Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who appears in Kali-yuga, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He never asserted Himself as such.
Lord Caitanya knew that in Kali-yuga there would be many bogus incarnations pretending to be God, and therefore He avoided asserting Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, in many Vedic literatures, especially in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.32):

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· 3

The purport of SB 7.9.38 quotesSB 11.5.32

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, in many Vedic literatures, especially in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.32): In Kali-yuga, intelligent men worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the form of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is always accompanied by His associates such as Nityānanda, Advaita, Gadādhara and Śrīvāsa.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 11.5.31

Similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja states in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.9.38): “In this way, my Lord, You appear in various incarnations as a human being, an animal, a great saintly demigod, a fish or a tortoise, thus maintaining the entire creation in different planetary systems and killing the demoniac principles.

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 6.95

This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.9.38):

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

Chapter 9: Prahlāda Pacifies Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva with Prayers

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

All such incarnations are meant to protect the devotees and kill the demons, but this killing and protecting does not reflect any sense of partiality on the part of the Supreme Lord. The conditioned soul is always attracted by the external energy.

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

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

itthamin this way
nṛlike a human being (such as Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Rāmacandra)
tiryaklike animals (such as the boar)
ṛṣias a great saint (Paraśurāma)
devaas demigods
jhaṣaas an aquatic (such as the fish and tortoise)
avatāraiḥby such different incarnations
lokānall the different planetary systems

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
Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct
Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 7.9
In this verse: “religion”, “principles”, “religious”
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.9
In this verse: “devotee”, “worship”
Rakṣā · Divine protection
Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 7.9
In this verse: “protect”