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

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Canto 9 · Liberation · 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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.1.28

Who is speaking and story frame

श्रीराजोवाच

कथमेवं गुणो देश: केन वा भगवन् कृत: ।

प्रश्न‍मेनं समाचक्ष्व परं कौतूहलं हि न: ॥ २८ ॥

śrī-rājovāca

katham evaṁ guṇo deśaḥ

kena vā bhagavan kṛtaḥ

praśnam enaṁ samācakṣva

paraṁ kautūhalaṁ hi naḥ

Translation

Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: O most powerful brāhmaṇa, why was this place so empowered, and who made it so powerful? Kindly answer this question, for I am very eager to hear about this.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Ask Respectfully and Hear Eagerly

  1. 1

    Mahārāja Parīkṣit wanted to know why the place had such extraordinary power.

  2. 2

    He also asked who had made it so powerful.

  3. 3

    He respectfully requested an answer from the brāhmaṇa and expressed his great eagerness to hear.

How it feels

Change → Acceptance. The instability of worldly identities is a recurring premise.

Chapters 1–3 of Canto 9: Dynastic origins and domestic transformations. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 1: King Sudyumna Becomes a Woman

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

When Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī about the reason for this transformation, Śukadeva Gosvāmī described how Sudyumna, being transformed into a woman, accepted Budha, the son of the moon, as her husband and had a son named Purūravā. By the grace of Lord Śiva, Sudyumna received the benediction that he would live one month as a woman and one month as a man.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.1
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-rājā uvācaMahārāja Parīkṣit said
  2. kathamhow
  3. evamthis
  4. guṇaḥquality
  5. deśaḥthe country
  6. kenawhy
  7. vāeither
  8. bhagavanO most powerful
3

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

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 9.1

    In this verse: “kindly”

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 you bring both respect and eagerness to your study?

Practice

Write down one sincere question about what you have read, then listen carefully for its answer.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayAsk Respectfully and Hear EagerlyThis 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 9.1.28? Get an answer from the verses themselves.