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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
7.9.77.9.9

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.9.8

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Prahlāda Mahārājasince 7.9.8inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

श्रीप्रह्राद उवाच

ब्रह्मादय: सुरगणा मुनयोऽथ सिद्धा:

सत्त्वैकतानगतयो वचसां प्रवाहै: ।

नाराधितुं पुरुगुणैरधुनापि पिप्रु:

किं तोष्टुमर्हति स मे हरिरुग्रजाते: ॥ ८ ॥

śrī-prahrāda uvāca

brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā munayo ’tha siddhāḥ

sattvaikatāna-gatayo vacasāṁ pravāhaiḥ

nārādhituṁ puru-guṇair adhunāpi pipruḥ

kiṁ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ

Translation

Prahlāda Mahārāja prayed: How is it possible for me, who have been born in a family of asuras, to offer suitable prayers to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Even until now, all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and all the saintly persons, could not satisfy the Lord by streams of excellent words, although such persons are very qualified, being in the mode of goodness. Then what is to be said of me? I am not at all qualified.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Humility Supports Spiritual Progress

  1. 1

    Although Prahlāda was a pure, exalted Vaiṣṇava, he considered himself unqualified to offer prayers. Even qualified devotees approach the Supreme Lord humbly.

  2. 2

    One should not be falsely proud of one’s Vaiṣṇava qualifications. Without meekness and humility, spiritual progress is very difficult.

  3. 3

    Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches humility, tolerance, freedom from false prestige and respect for others. In this state of mind, one can constantly chant the Lord’s holy name.

Key points from the purport
  • A Vaiṣṇava who is fully qualified to serve the Lord still thinks himself extremely low while offering prayers to the Lord.
  • A pure Vaiṣṇava actually thinks of himself in this way.
  • Similarly, although Prahlāda Mahārāja was a pure, exalted Vaiṣṇava, he thought himself most unqualified to offer prayers to the Supreme Lord.

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 7.9.8 quotesCC Ādi 5.205

purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha. Thus he considers himself unqualified, lower than the worms in stool, and more sinful than Jagāi and Mādhāi.

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:

Even if a nondevotee is a brāhmaṇa qualified with the twelve brahminical symptoms, he cannot be very dear to the Lord, whereas if a person born in a family of dog-eaters is a devotee, the Lord can accept his prayers. The Lord does not need anyone’s prayers, but if a devotee offers his prayers to the Lord, the devotee benefits greatly.
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-prahrādaḥ uvācaPrahlāda Mahārāja prayed
  2. brahma-ādayaḥheaded by Lord Brahmā
  3. sura-gaṇāḥthe inhabitants of the upper planetary systems
  4. munayaḥthe great saintly persons
  5. athaas well (like the four Kumāras and others)
  6. siddhāḥwho have attained perfection or full knowledge
  7. sattvato spiritual existence
  8. ekatāna-gatayaḥwho have taken without diversion to any material activities
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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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “chant”, “holy name”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “humility”, “proud”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotees”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Where does pride in my spiritual efforts make it harder to respect others?

Practice

Chant the Lord’s holy name today while consciously setting aside the wish to be praised.

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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.

10 lectures given on it · quoted in 2 more lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Show 8 more lectures on it
Quoted in 2 other lectures

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 todayHumility Supports Spiritual ProgressThis 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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