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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

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

8.17.23 8.17.25

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.17.24

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 8.17.21inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

अदितेर्धिष्ठितं गर्भं भगवन्तं सनातनम् ।

हिरण्यगर्भो विज्ञाय समीडे गुह्यनामभि: ॥ २४ ॥

aditer dhiṣṭhitaṁ garbhaṁ

bhagavantaṁ sanātanam

hiraṇyagarbho vijñāya

samīḍe guhya-nāmabhiḥ

Translation

When Lord Brahmā understood that the Supreme Personality of Godhead was now within the womb of Aditi, he began to offer prayers to the Lord by reciting transcendental names.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Please the Lord Through His Holy Names

1
When Lord Brahmā understood that the Supreme Personality of Godhead was within Aditi’s womb, he offered prayers by reciting transcendental names.
2
The Supreme Personality of Godhead exists everywhere. When a devotee chants His holy name, the Lord is present, not absent.
3
The Lord’s transcendental name is not a material sound. A devotee knows that simply chanting His holy name pleases Him.

Key points from the purport

The Supreme Personality of Godhead exists everywhere (aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham).
Therefore when one chants His transcendental names — Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare — the Supreme Personality of Godhead is automatically pleased by such saṅkīrtana.
It is not that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is absent; He is present there.

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

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

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Lord Brahmā, who is known as Hiraṇyagarbha, understood that the Supreme Personality of Godhead had entered Aditi’s womb. Thus he offered prayers to the Lord.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 8.17

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

aditeḥinto the womb of Aditi
dhiṣṭhitambeing established
garbhampregnancy
bhagavantamunto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
sanātanamwho is eternal
hiraṇyagarbhaḥLord Brahmā
vijñāyaknowing this
samīḍeoffered prayers
guhya-nāmabhiḥwith transcendental names

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 8.17
In this verse: “reciting”, “chants”, “holy name”
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 8.17
In this verse: “material”
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 8.17
In this verse: “devotee”

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

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How would remembering the Lord’s presence change the attention I give to chanting?

Practice

Attentively chant once: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayPlease the Lord Through His Holy NamesThis 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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