1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 7 · The Science of God · 15 chapters

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 7.9.44

Who is speaking and story frame

प्रायेण देव मुनय: स्वविमुक्तिकामा

मौनं चरन्ति विजने न परार्थनिष्ठा: ।

नैतान्विहाय कृपणान्विमुमुक्ष एको

नान्यं त्वदस्य शरणं भ्रमतोऽनुपश्ये ॥ ४४ ॥

prāyeṇa deva munayaḥ sva-vimukti-kāmā

maunaṁ caranti vijane na parārtha-niṣṭhāḥ

naitān vihāya kṛpaṇān vimumukṣa eko

nānyaṁ tvad asya śaraṇaṁ bhramato ’nupaśye

Translation

My dear Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, I see that there are many saintly persons indeed, but they are interested only in their own deliverance. Not caring for the big cities and towns, they go to the Himālayas or the forest to meditate with vows of silence [mauna-vrata]. They are not interested in delivering others. As for me, however, I do not wish to be liberated alone, leaving aside all these poor fools and rascals. I know that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without taking shelter of Your lotus feet, one cannot be happy. Therefore I wish to bring them back to shelter at Your lotus feet.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Seek the Lord’s Shelter for Everyone

  1. 1

    A pure devotee is interested only in serving the Lord and therefore does not fear any condition of life. Remaining in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the devotee’s business.

  2. 2

    Prahlāda Mahārāja did not wish to be liberated alone while leaving others behind. He wanted to bring them to the shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet.

  3. 3

    The devotee works among people to teach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, rather than seeking only personal deliverance in solitude. The real target is to return home, back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • Rather, he is interested in enlightening people in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because that is the only way for them to become happy.
  • The members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are not at all interested in so-called meditation in the Himālayas or the forest, where one will only make a show of meditation, nor are they interested in opening many schools for yoga and meditation in the cities.
  • The members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must be fully convinced that without Kṛṣṇa one cannot be happy.

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 7.9.44 quotesSB 6.17.28

This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.17.28): “Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, never fear any condition of life.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 10.86.52

Therefore I wish to bring them back to shelter at Your lotus feet.”

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:

Those interested in silently worshiping the Lord in solitary places may be eligible for liberation themselves, but a pure devotee is always aggrieved to see others suffering. Therefore, not caring for his own liberation, he always engages in preaching by glorifying the Lord.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.9
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. prāyeṇagenerally, in almost all cases
  2. devaO my Lord
  3. munayaḥthe great saintly persons
  4. svapersonal, own
  5. vimukti-kāmāḥambitious for liberation from this material world
  6. maunamsilently
  7. carantithey wander (in places like the Himālayan forests, where they have no touch with the activities of the materialists)
  8. vijanein solitary places
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “shelter”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotee”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

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

    In this verse: “fear”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I seeking spiritual benefit only for myself, or also wishing to help others?

Practice

Share one teaching about taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa with someone willing to hear.

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.

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.

Live this todaySeek the Lord’s Shelter for EveryoneOne of the 108 chosen lessons: a practice and a question from this verse

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 7.9.44? Get an answer from the verses themselves.