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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 4: Ambarīṣa Mahārāja Offended by Durvāsā Muni
9.4.639.4.65

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.4.64

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 9.4.63inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

नाहमात्मानमाशासे मद्भक्तै: साधुभिर्विना ।

श्रियं चात्यन्तिकीं ब्रह्मन् येषां गतिरहं परा ॥ ६४ ॥

nāham ātmānam āśāse

mad-bhaktaiḥ sādhubhir vinā

śriyaṁ cātyantikīṁ brahman

yeṣāṁ gatir ahaṁ parā

Translation

O best of the brāhmaṇas, without saintly persons for whom I am the only destination, I do not desire to enjoy My transcendental bliss and My supreme opulences.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotees Increase the Lord’s Transcendental Happiness

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is self-sufficient, yet He wants His devotees’ cooperation in enjoying transcendental bliss.

  2. 2

    Pure devotees are most dear to Him because they increase His transcendental pleasure. They are always engaged in increasing His happiness.

  3. 3

    The unlimited Lord wants to increase His devotees unlimitedly, so He invites living entities to surrender and return home, back to Godhead. Helping this endeavor satisfies Him.

Key points from the purport
  • The Supreme Personality of Godhead is self-sufficient, but to enjoy His transcendental bliss He requires the cooperation of His devotees.
  • Not only does the Supreme Personality of Godhead enjoy the company of His devotees, but because He is unlimited He wants to increase His devotees unlimitedly.
  • Although the Supreme Lord is full in six opulences, He does not feel transcendental bliss without His devotees.

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

Peril and anger → Faith and mercy. The contrast between pride and steadiness becomes clear.

Chapters 4–5 of Canto 9: Ambarīṣa's devotion and Durvāsā's anger. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 4: Ambarīṣa Mahārāja Offended by Durvāsā Muni

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, however, upon seeing that the time to break the fast was passing, drank a little water, in accordance with the advice of learned brāhmaṇas, just to observe the formality of breaking the fast. By mystic power, Durvāsā Muni could understand that this had happened, and he was very angry.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.4
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nanot
  2. ahamI
  3. ātmānamtranscendental bliss
  4. āśāsedesire
  5. mat-bhaktaiḥwith My devotees
  6. sādhubhiḥwith the saintly persons
  7. vināwithout them
  8. śriyamall My six opulences
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 9.4

    In this verse: “devotees’”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 9.4

    In this verse: “surrender”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I thinking about how my devotional service can give pleasure to the Lord?

Practice

Offer one small act of devotional service today with the intention of pleasing Kṛṣṇa.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

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

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 9.4's connections

Live this todayDevotees Increase the Lord’s Transcendental HappinessThis 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 9.4.64? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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