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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 ›
Canto 9 · Chapter 11: Lord Rāmacandra Rules the World
9.11.249.11.26

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.11.25

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 9.11.25inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच

अथादिशद् दिग्विजये भ्रातृंस्त्रिभुवनेश्वर: ।

आत्मानं दर्शयन् स्वानां पुरीमैक्षत सानुग: ॥ २५ ॥

śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca

athādiśad dig-vijaye

bhrātṝṁs tri-bhuvaneśvaraḥ

ātmānaṁ darśayan svānāṁ

purīm aikṣata sānugaḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied: After accepting the throne of the government by the fervent request of His younger brother Bharata, Lord Rāmacandra ordered His younger brothers to go out and conquer the entire world, while He personally remained in the capital to give audience to all the citizens and residents of the palace and supervise the governmental affairs with His other assistants.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord’s Favor Includes Active Service

  1. 1

    Lord Rāmacandra favored His brothers by sending Them out to establish His supremacy. He does not encourage His devotees or assistants to remain absorbed in sense gratification.

  2. 2

    A pure devotee carries out the Lord’s order rather than remaining inactive and falsely proud. The purport urges devotees to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness and invite others to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  3. 3

    The Lord also showed mercy by remaining in Ayodhyā to give audience to the citizens. He knows how to favor each person according to that person’s capacity.

Key points from the purport
  • The younger brothers of Lord Rāmacandra were at home enjoying the personal presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the Lord ordered Them to go out and achieve victory all over the world.
  • This is the order of the Lord, who speaks as the supreme emperor.
  • One who abides by the order of the Lord is a pure 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

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

Further reading

Chapter 11: Lord Rāmacandra Rules the World

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Upon hearing of this, Lord Rāmacandra was very much aggrieved, and thus He performed sacrifices for thirteen thousand years. After describing the pastimes of Lord Rāmacandra’s disappearance and establishing that the Lord appears for His pastimes only, Śukadeva Gosvāmī ends this chapter by describing the results of hearing about the activities of Lord Rāmacandra and by describing how the Lord protected His citizens and displayed affection for His brothers.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.11
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-bādarāyaṇiḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
  2. athahereafter (when the Lord accepted the throne on the request of Bharata)
  3. ādiśatordered
  4. dik-vijayeto conquer all the world
  5. bhrātṝnHis younger brothers
  6. tri-bhuvana-īśvaraḥthe Lord of the universe
  7. ātmānampersonally, Himself
  8. darśayangiving audience
3

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 9.11

    In this verse: “government”, “citizens”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 9.11

    In this verse: “mercy”, “favored”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 9.11

    In this verse: “sense gratification”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I willing to accept active service rather than choose only what feels comfortable?

Practice

Share with one willing person the Lord’s instruction to surrender to Him.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord’s Favor Includes Active 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.

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