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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
7.9.57.9.7

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.9.6

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 7.9.4inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

स तत्करस्पर्शधुताखिलाशुभ:

सपद्यभिव्यक्तपरात्मदर्शन: ।

तत्पादपद्मं हृदि निर्वृतो दधौ

हृष्यत्तनु: क्लिन्नहृदश्रुलोचन: ॥ ६ ॥

sa tat-kara-sparśa-dhutākhilāśubhaḥ

sapady abhivyakta-parātma-darśanaḥ

tat-pāda-padmaṁ hṛdi nirvṛto dadhau

hṛṣyat-tanuḥ klinna-hṛd-aśru-locanaḥ

Translation

By the touch of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva’s hand on Prahlāda Mahārāja’s head, Prahlāda was completely freed of all material contaminations and desires, as if he had been thoroughly cleansed. Therefore he at once became transcendentally situated, and all the symptoms of ecstasy became manifest in his body. His heart filled with love, and his eyes with tears, and thus he was able to completely capture the lotus feet of the Lord within the core of his heart.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Transcends Material Contamination

  1. 1

    By the touch of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva’s hand, Prahlāda became completely free from material contamination and desires. With love and tears, he held the Lord’s lotus feet within his heart.

  2. 2

    One who engages steadily in full devotional service transcends the modes of material nature and comes to the spiritual platform.

  3. 3

    Prahlāda’s birth in a demoniac family could not stop his spiritual progress. His exalted devotion brought him into direct contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • On the strength of these verses from Bhagavad-gītā, it is evident that although Prahlāda Mahārāja was born in a demoniac family and although virtually demoniac blood flowed within his body, he was cleansed of all material bodily contamination because of his exalted position as a devotee.
  • In other words, such impediments on the spiritual path could not stop him from progressing, for he was directly in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • Those who are physically and mentally contaminated by atheism cannot be situated on the transcendental platform, but as soon as one is freed from material contamination he is immediately fit to be situated in devotional service.

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 7.9.6 quotesBG 14.26

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (14.26): “One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.”

The purport of SB 7.9.6 quotesBG 9.32

Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gītā (9.32) the Lord says: “O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth — women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers] — can approach the supreme destination.”

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.

This verse is a turning point of the arc: Prahlāda's tears of devotion after Nṛsiṁhadeva's touch.

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:

Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, being very much affectionate toward Prahlāda Mahārāja, put His hand on Prahlāda’s head, and because of being personally touched by the Lord, Prahlāda Mahārāja immediately achieved brahma-jñāna, spiritual knowledge. Thus he offered his prayers to the Lord in full spiritual knowledge and full devotional ecstasy.
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. saḥhe (Prahlāda Mahārāja)
  2. tat-kara-sparśabecause of being touched on the head by the lotus hand of Nṛsiṁhadeva
  3. dhutabeing cleansed
  4. akhilaall
  5. aśubhaḥinauspiciousness or material desires
  6. sapadiimmediately
  7. abhivyaktamanifested
  8. para-ātma-darśanaḥrealization of the Supreme Soul (spiritual knowledge)
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “cleansed”, “contaminations”, “contamination”

  • Prema · Transcendental love

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

    In this verse: “love”, “ecstasy”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “material”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Do I let my background discourage me from taking shelter of the Lord?

Practice

Set aside one minute to remember the Lord’s lotus feet, making this a small act of devotional service.

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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 todayDevotional Service Transcends Material ContaminationThis 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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