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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
8.16.208.16.22

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.16.21

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Kaśyapa Munisince 8.16.19inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

स विधास्यति ते कामान्हरिर्दीनानुकम्पन: ।

अमोघा भगवद्भ‍क्तिर्नेतरेति मतिर्मम ॥ २१ ॥

sa vidhāsyati te kāmān

harir dīnānukampanaḥ

amoghā bhagavad-bhaktir

netareti matir mama

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is very merciful to the poor, will fulfill all of your desires, for devotional service unto Him is infallible. Any method other than devotional service is useless. That is my opinion.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Take Shelter of Kṛṣṇa Through Devotional Service

  1. 1

    Whether one desires enjoyment, liberation or nothing material, one should worship Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, through loving devotional service.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa is very merciful, and devotional service unto Him is infallible. Everyone should take shelter of His lotus feet.

  3. 3

    As a special favor, Kṛṣṇa may refuse a sincere devotee’s material desires and instead grant pure devotional service. Freedom from material desires is a greater blessing than material prosperity.

Key points from the purport
  • Therefore if one wants to fulfill his material desires, Kṛṣṇa helps him.
  • Of course, sometimes if a devotee is very sincere, the Lord, as a special favor to him, refuses to fulfill his material desires and directly blesses him with pure, unalloyed devotional service.
  • If a devotee maintains some material desire and at the same time very sincerely desires to engage at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa may directly give him unalloyed devotional service and take away all his material desires and possessions.

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 8.16.21 quotesSB 2.3.10

“Whether one desires everything or nothing or desires to merge into the existence of the Lord, he is intelligent only if he worships Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by rendering transcendental loving service.”

The purport of SB 8.16.21 quotesCC Madhya 22.38

It is said in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 22.38-39): “Kṛṣṇa says, ‘If one engages in My transcendental loving service but at the same time wants the opulence of material enjoyment, he is very, very foolish.

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:

He assured her that only Lord Vāsudeva could satisfy her and fulfill all her desires. When Aditi then expressed her desire to worship Lord Vāsudeva, Prajāpati Kaśyapa told her about a process of worship known as payo-vrata, which is executed in twelve days.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.16
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saḥhe (Vāsudeva)
  2. vidhāsyatiwill undoubtedly fulfill
  3. teyour
  4. kāmāndesires
  5. hariḥthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  6. dīnaunto the poor
  7. anukampanaḥvery merciful
  8. amoghāinfallible
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: “devotional service”, “devotee’s”, “worship”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 8.16

    In this verse: “merciful”, “blessing”, “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

Am I willing to receive pure devotional service rather than the material result I want?

Practice

Offer one desire to Kṛṣṇa in prayer, asking above all for sincere 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.

The purport quotesSB 2.3.10

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

Live this todayTake Shelter of Kṛṣṇa 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 8.16.21? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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