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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

7.9.6 7.9.8

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.9.7

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

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

अस्तौषीद्धरिमेकाग्रमनसा सुसमाहित: ।

प्रेमगद्गदया वाचा तन्न्यस्तहृदयेक्षण: ॥ ७ ॥

astauṣīd dharim ekāgra-

manasā susamāhitaḥ

prema-gadgadayā vācā

tan-nyasta-hṛdayekṣaṇaḥ

Translation

Prahlāda Mahārāja fixed his mind and sight upon Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva with full attention in complete trance. With a fixed mind, he began to offer prayers in love with a faltering voice.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Fix the Mind Through Devotional Service

1
Prahlāda fixed his mind and sight upon Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva with full attention. He offered prayers in love with a faltering voice.
2
Yogic perfection means being free from material diversions and fixing the mind upon the Lord’s lotus feet. This state is called samādhi, or trance.
3
Because Prahlāda was engaged in service, he felt transcendentally situated. His mind and attention naturally became absorbed in the Lord.

Key points from the purport

The word susamāhitaḥ means “very attentive” or “fully fixed.”
One attains yogic perfection when he is freed from all material diversions and his mind is fixed upon the lotus feet of the Lord.
In that condition, he began to offer his prayers as follows.

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· 1

The purport of SB 7.9.7 quotesSB 12.13.1

As it is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.13.1), dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ.

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:

Thus he offered his prayers to the Lord in full spiritual knowledge and full devotional ecstasy. The instructions given by Prahlāda Mahārāja in the form of his prayers are as follows.

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

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

astauṣīthe began to offer prayers
harimunto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
ekāgra-manasāthe mind being completely fixed upon the lotus feet of the Lord
su-samāhitaḥvery attentive (without diversion to any other subject)
prema-gadgadayāfaltering because of feeling transcendental bliss
vācāwith a voice
tat-nyastabeing fully dedicated to Him (Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva)
hṛdaya-īkṣaṇaḥwith heart and sight

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
Prema · Transcendental love
The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 7.9
In this verse: “love”
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.9
In this verse: “material”
Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment
Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 7.9
In this verse: “free from”

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What distraction can I set aside when offering prayers?

Practice

Put aside distractions and offer a brief prayer with your attention fixed on the Lord.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

2 lectures given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 12.13.1

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 7.9's connections

Live this todayFix the Mind Through Devotional ServiceThis 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.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 7.9.7? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories