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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
7.9.537.9.55

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.9.54

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 7.9.52inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

प्रीणन्ति ह्यथ मां धीरा: सर्वभावेन साधव: ।

श्रेयस्कामा महाभाग सर्वासामाशिषां पतिम् ॥ ५४ ॥

prīṇanti hy atha māṁ dhīrāḥ

sarva-bhāvena sādhavaḥ

śreyas-kāmā mahā-bhāga

sarvāsām āśiṣāṁ patim

Translation

My dear Prahlāda, you are very fortunate. Please know from Me that those who are very wise and highly elevated try to please Me in all different modes of mellows, for I am the only person who can fulfill all the desires of everyone.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Loving Service Is Our Main Business

  1. 1

    Wise and elevated persons try to please the Supreme Lord, who alone can fulfill everyone’s desires.

  2. 2

    Serving in different devotional moods does not mean serving in whichever way one likes. Bhāva is the stage immediately before love of Godhead.

  3. 3

    Loving service can be offered in śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and mādhurya. Our main business is to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead and serve Him.

Key points from the purport
  • Bhāva is the preliminary condition of love of Godhead.
  • The word sarva-bhāva means that one can love the Supreme Personality of Godhead in different transcendental modes of mellows, beginning with dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and mādhurya.
  • Since our main business is to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can render service from any of the above-mentioned platforms of love.

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:

Prahlāda Mahārāja, however, was not misled by material facilities. Rather, he wanted to remain always a servant of the servant of the Lord.
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. prīṇantitry to please
  2. hiindeed
  3. athabecause of this
  4. māmMe
  5. dhīrāḥthose who are sober and most intelligent
  6. sarva-bhāvenain all respects, in different modes of devotional service
  7. sādhavaḥpersons who are very well-behaved (perfect in all respects)
  8. śreyas-kāmāḥdesiring the best benefit in life
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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”

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “sakhya”

  • Prema · Transcendental love

    The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “love”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I making loving service to the Lord my main concern?

Practice

Before one devotional activity today, pause and make pleasing the Lord your intention.

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. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayLoving Service Is Our Main BusinessThis 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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