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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
7.9.507.9.52

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.9.51

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 7.9.51inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

श्रीनारद उवाच

एतावद्वर्णितगुणो भक्त्या भक्तेन निर्गुण: ।

प्रह्रादं प्रणतं प्रीतो यतमन्युरभाषत ॥ ५१ ॥

śrī-nārada uvāca

etāvad varṇita-guṇo

bhaktyā bhaktena nirguṇaḥ

prahrādaṁ praṇataṁ prīto

yata-manyur abhāṣata

Translation

The great saint Nārada said: Thus Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva was pacified by the devotee Prahlāda Mahārāja with prayers offered from the transcendental platform. The Lord gave up His anger, and being very kind to Prahlāda, who was offering prostrated obeisances, He spoke as follows.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Is Full of Spiritual Qualities

  1. 1

    Prahlāda Mahārāja pacified Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva with prayers offered from the transcendental platform.

  2. 2

    Nirguṇa means having no material qualities. It does not mean that the Lord lacks spiritual qualities; He is full of them.

  3. 3

    The Lord gave up His anger and showed great kindness to Prahlāda. As Prahlāda offered prostrated obeisances, the Lord spoke to him.

Key points from the purport
  • The Māyāvādī philosophers accept the Absolute Truth as nirguṇa or nirākāra.
  • The word nirguṇa refers to one who possesses no material qualities.
  • The Lord, being full of spiritual qualities, gave up all His anger and spoke to Prahlāda.

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 9: Prahlāda Pacifies Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva with Prayers

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

One should therefore always engage in devotional service by offering respectful obeisances to the Lord, offering prayers, working for the Lord, worshiping the Lord in the temple, always remembering the Lord and always hearing about His transcendental activities. Without these six kinds of activity, one cannot attain to devotional service.
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. śrī-nāradaḥ uvācaŚrī Nārada Muni said
  2. etāvatup to this
  3. varṇitadescribed
  4. guṇaḥtranscendental qualities
  5. bhaktyāwith devotion
  6. bhaktenaby the devotee (Prahlāda Mahārāja)
  7. nirguṇaḥthe transcendental Lord
  8. prahrādamunto Prahlāda Mahārāja
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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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotee”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “gave up”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “kindness”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does knowing that the Lord has spiritual qualities shape my prayers?

Practice

Offer a respectful prayer acknowledging the Lord’s kindness.

5

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. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayThe Lord Is Full of Spiritual QualitiesThis 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.

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