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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 17: The Supreme Lord Agrees to Become Aditi’s Son
8.17.118.17.13

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.17.12

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 8.17.12inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीभगवानुवाच

देवमातर्भवत्या मे विज्ञातं चिरकाङ्‌क्षितम् ।

यत् सपत्नैर्हृतश्रीणां च्यावितानां स्वधामत: ॥ १२ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

deva-mātar bhavatyā me

vijñātaṁ cira-kāṅkṣitam

yat sapatnair hṛta-śrīṇāṁ

cyāvitānāṁ sva-dhāmataḥ

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O mother of the demigods, I have already understood your long-cherished desires for the welfare of your sons, who have been deprived of all opulences and driven from their residence by their enemies.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Knows His Devotees’ Needs

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead already knows the mother’s long-cherished desires for her sons’ welfare.

  2. 2

    Situated in everyone’s heart, and especially in His devotees’ hearts, He is always ready to help devotees in adversity.

  3. 3

    The Lord knows how things should be adjusted and does what is needed to relieve His devotee’s suffering.

Key points from the purport
  • The Supreme Personality of Godhead, being situated in everyone’s heart, and especially in the hearts of His devotees, is always ready to help devotees in adversity.
  • Since He knows everything, He knows how things are to be adjusted, and He does the needful to relieve the suffering of His devotee.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

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 17: The Supreme Lord Agrees to Become Aditi’s Son

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

He was already pleased by Kaśyapa Muni’s austerities, and thus He agreed to become their son and maintain the demigods. After giving His word of honor to this effect, the Lord disappeared.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.17
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-bhagavān uvācathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said
  2. deva-mātaḥO mother of the demigods
  3. bhavatyāḥof you
  4. meby Me
  5. vijñātamunderstood
  6. cira-kāṅkṣitamwhat You have desired for a long time
  7. yatbecause
  8. sapatnaiḥby the rivals
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 8.17

    In this verse: “welfare”, “suffering”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 8.17

    In this verse: “mother”, “mother’s”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 8.17

    In this verse: “devotees’”

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 does knowing that the Lord understands your difficulties affect the way you pray?

Practice

Offer one worry to the Lord in prayer, remembering that He already knows your heart.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Knows His Devotees’ NeedsThis 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 8.17.12? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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