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Canto 9 · Liberation · 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 9 · Chapter 10: The Pastimes of the Supreme Lord, Rāmacandra

9.10.50 9.10.52

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.10.51

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 9.10.29inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

त्रेतायां वर्तमानायां काल: कृतसमोऽभवत् ।

रामे राजनि धर्मज्ञे सर्वभूतसुखावहे ॥ ५१ ॥

tretāyāṁ vartamānāyāṁ

kālaḥ kṛta-samo ’bhavat

rāme rājani dharma-jñe

sarva-bhūta-sukhāvahe

Translation

Lord Rāmacandra became King during Tretā-yuga, but because of His good government, the age was like Satya-yuga. Everyone was religious and completely happy.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Chanting Brings Hope in Kali-yuga

1
Although Lord Rāmacandra ruled during Tretā-yuga, His good government made the age like Satya-yuga. Everyone was religious and completely happy.
2
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant to bring the conditions of Satya-yuga even into Kali-yuga. Chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra frees one from material bondage and leads to the transcendental kingdom.
3
Anyone, anywhere, can take up chanting with devotion and faith while following the rules and regulations. Even someone unable to give up sinful life immediately can become free from sinful activities through faithful chanting.

Key points from the purport

Among the four yugas — Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali — the Kali-yuga is the worst, but if the process of varṇāśrama-dharma is introduced, even in this Age of Kali, the situation of Satya-yuga can be invoked.
The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is meant for this purpose.
Even if one is sinful and cannot give up sinful life immediately, if he chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra with devotion and faith he will certainly be freed from all sinful activities, and his life will be successful.

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· 1

The purport of SB 9.10.51 quotesSB 12.3.51

“My dear King, although Kali-yuga is full of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.”

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

Exile and separation → Loyalty and reunion. Duty, loss and sacrifice shape the dramatic center of this canto.

Chapters 10–12 of Canto 9: The pastimes of Lord Rāmacandra. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 10: The Pastimes of the Supreme Lord, Rāmacandra

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

After Lord Rāmacandra, accompanied by Lord Lakṣmaṇa and mother Sītādevī, met all His relatives, the great sage Vasiṣṭha enthroned Him as King. The chapter ends with a short description of Lord Rāmacandra’s rule in Ayodhyā.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 9.10

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

tretāyāmin the Tretā-yuga
vartamānāyāmalthough situated in that period
kālaḥthe period
kṛtawith Satya-yuga
samaḥequal
abhavatit so became
rāmebecause of Lord Rāmacandra’s being present
rājanias the ruling king

Key ideas in this verse

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

Manvantara · The change of Manus
What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10
Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership
Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 9.10
In this verse: “king”, “government”, “kingdom”
Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct
Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 9.10
In this verse: “religious”
Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment
Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 9.10
In this verse: “give up”, “free from”

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What encourages me to chant with devotion and faith, even when I struggle?

Practice

Set aside two minutes today to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra with attention and faith.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Connected stories

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

The purport quotesSB 12.3.51

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 9.10's connections

Live this todayChanting Brings Hope in Kali-yugaThis 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 9.10.51? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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