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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 8 · Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations · 24 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 8 · Chapter 16: Executing the Payo-vrata Process of Worship
8.16.138.16.15

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.16.14

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Aditisince 8.16.11inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तवैव मारीच मन:शरीरजा:

प्रजा इमा: सत्त्वरजस्तमोजुष: ।

समो भवांस्तास्वसुरादिषु प्रभो

तथापि भक्तं भजते महेश्वर: ॥ १४ ॥

tavaiva mārīca manaḥ-śarīrajāḥ

prajā imāḥ sattva-rajas-tamo-juṣaḥ

samo bhavāṁs tāsv asurādiṣu prabho

tathāpi bhaktaṁ bhajate maheśvaraḥ

Translation

O son of Marīci, because you are a great personality you are equal toward all the demons and demigods, who are born either from your body or from your mind and who possess one or another of the three qualities — sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa or tamo-guṇa. But although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, is equal toward all living entities, He is especially favorable to the devotees.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Especially Favors His Devotees

  1. 1

    Aditi recognized her husband's equal regard for demons and demigods, despite their different material qualities.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is equal toward everyone, yet especially inclined toward those engaged in His devotional service. He assures that His devotee will never be vanquished.

  3. 3

    The Lord gives different benedictions according to how people approach Him. Aditi therefore appealed for favor toward Indra, her husband's devoted son, who was in difficulty.

Key points from the purport
  • Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is equal toward everyone, He is especially inclined toward those who engage in His devotional service.
  • Actually, everyone is trying to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead in various ways, but according to their methods of approach, the Supreme Lord endows them with different benedictions.
  • Thus Aditi appealed to her husband by saying that since even the supreme controller favors His devotees and since Indra, Kaśyapa’s devoted son, was in difficulty, Kaśyapa should bestow his favor upon Indra.

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 8.16.14 quotesBG 9.29

In Bhagavad-gītā (9.29) the Lord says: na me dveṣyo ’sti na priyaḥ

The purport of SB 8.16.14 quotesBG 4.11

manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. Actually, everyone is trying to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead in various ways, but according to their methods of approach, the Supreme Lord endows them with different benedictions.

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

Loss and hope → Revelation. A shift in fortune sets up a spiritual test.

Chapters 15–18 of Canto 8: Bali, Aditi and Vāmana's appearance. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 16: Executing the Payo-vrata Process of Worship

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

One day after many, many years, the great sage Kaśyapa emerged from a trance of meditation and returned to his āśrama. He saw that the āśrama was no longer beautiful and that his wife was very morose.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.16
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tavayour
  2. evaindeed
  3. mārīcaO son of Marīci
  4. manaḥ-śarīra-jāḥborn either of your body or of your mind (all the demons and demigods)
  5. prajāḥborn of you
  6. imāḥall of them
  7. sattva-rajaḥ-tamaḥ-juṣaḥinfected with sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa or tamo-guṇa
  8. samaḥequal
3

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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 8.16

    In this verse: “devotees”, “devotional service”, “devotee”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 8.16

    In this verse: “favorable”, “favor”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 8.16

    In this verse: “material”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I approach the Lord with a greater desire to serve Him?

Practice

Offer a brief prayer to Kṛṣṇa today, asking for help to engage in His devotional service.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

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

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 8.16's connections

Live this todayThe Lord Especially Favors His DevoteesThis 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 8.16.14? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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