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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 ›
Canto 9 · Chapter 24: Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
9.24.589.24.60

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.24.59

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The sun-godsince 9.24.34inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

अक्षौहिणीनां पतिभिरसुरैर्नृपलाञ्छनै: । भुव आक्रम्यमाणाया अभाराय कृतोद्यम: ॥ ५९ ॥

akṣauhiṇīnāṁ patibhir

asurair nṛpa-lāñchanaiḥ

bhuva ākramyamāṇāyā

abhārāya kṛtodyamaḥ

Translation

Although the demons who take possession of the government are dressed like men of government, they do not know the duty of the government. Consequently, by the arrangement of God, such demons, who possess great military strength, fight with one another, and thus the great burden of demons on the surface of the earth is reduced. The demons increase their military power by the will of the Supreme, so that their numbers will be diminished and the devotees will have a chance to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Plain Living and Advancement in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness

  1. 1

    The real duty of government is to help people advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not to increase military power unnecessarily. The purport calls for protection of genuine brāhmaṇas and cows.

  2. 2

    Devotees work to release conditioned souls from birth and death, while demons obstruct that work. The verse describes Kṛṣṇa arranging conflict among such demons to reduce the earth’s burden.

  3. 3

    Civilization is not meant for unnecessary hard labor for temporary sense pleasure. Devotees teach plain living and Kṛṣṇa conscious advancement so that people can return home, back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • But the asuras, the demons, impede the advancement of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and therefore Kṛṣṇa arranges occasional fights between different asuras who are very much interested in increasing their military power.
  • The duty of the government or king is not to increase military power unnecessarily; the real duty of the government is to see that the people of the state advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
  • One who understands the purpose of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, should seriously understand the importance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and seriously take part in it.

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· 4

The purport of SB 9.24.59 quotesBG 4.8

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.8), paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām.

The purport of SB 9.24.59 quotesBG 4.13

For this purpose, Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13), cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: “According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me.”

The purport of SB 9.24.59 quotesSB 5.5.4

Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti. Simply for sense gratification, people make plans for material happiness.

The purport of SB 9.24.59 quotesSB 7.9.43

Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān. They do this because they are all vimūḍhas, rascals.

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

Historical movement → Anticipation. The narrative narrows toward its divine center.

Chapters 20–24 of Canto 9: Lineages leading to the appearance of Kṛṣṇa. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 24: Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Vasudeva had many other sons by his other wives, and the eighth son to appear from the womb of Devakī was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who delivered the entire world from the burden of demons. This chapter ends by glorifying the Supreme Personality of Godhead Vāsudeva.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.24
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. akṣauhiṇīnāmof kings possessing great military power
  2. patibhiḥby such kings or government
  3. asuraiḥactually demons (because they do not need such military power but create it unnecessarily)
  4. nṛpa-lāñchanaiḥwho are actually unfit to be kings (although they have somehow taken possession of the government)
  5. bhuvaḥon the surface of the earth
  6. ākramyamāṇāyāḥaiming at attacking one another
  7. abhārāyapaving the way for diminishing the number of demons on the surface of the earth
  8. kṛta-udyamaḥenthusiastic (they spend all the revenue of the state to increase military power)
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 9.24

    In this verse: “devotees”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 9.24

    In this verse: “duty”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 9.24

    In this verse: “government”

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

What unnecessary effort for temporary pleasure could you reduce to make time for Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Practice

Replace one unnecessary pursuit of sense pleasure today with a few minutes of study about Kṛṣṇa.

5

Connected stories

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

The purport quotesSB 5.5.4SB 7.9.43

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 9.24's connections

Live this todayPlain Living and Advancement in Kṛṣṇa ConsciousnessThis 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 9.24.59? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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