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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 8: The Sons of Sagara Meet Lord Kapiladeva
9.8.149.8.17

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 9.8.15-16

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 9.8.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

असमञ्जस आत्मानं दर्शयन्नसमञ्जसम् ।

जातिस्मर: पुरा सङ्गाद् योगी योगाद् विचालित: ॥ १५ ॥

आचरन् गर्हितं लोके ज्ञातीनां कर्म विप्रियम् ।

सरय्वां क्रीडतो बालान्प्रास्यदुद्वेजयञ्जनम् ॥ १६ ॥

asamañjasa ātmānaṁ

darśayann asamañjasam

jāti-smaraḥ purā saṅgād

yogī yogād vicālitaḥ

ācaran garhitaṁ loke

jñātīnāṁ karma vipriyam

sarayvāṁ krīḍato bālān

prāsyad udvejayañ janam

Translation

Formerly, in his previous birth, Asamañjasa had been a great mystic yogī, but by bad association he had fallen from his exalted position. Now, in this life, he was born in a royal family and was a jāti-smara; that is, he had the special advantage of being able to remember his past birth. Nonetheless, he wanted to display himself as a miscreant, and therefore he would do things that were abominable in the eyes of the public and unfavorable to his relatives. He would disturb the boys sporting in the river Sarayū by throwing them into the depths of the water.

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.

Bad Association Can Undermine Spiritual Progress

  1. 1

    In his previous birth, Asamañjasa had been a great mystic yogī. Through bad association, he fell from that exalted position.

  2. 2

    In this life, he was born in a royal family and was a jāti-smara, able to remember his previous birth.

  3. 3

    Nevertheless, he deliberately displayed himself as a miscreant through activities disturbing to the public and his relatives. He troubled boys playing in the Sarayū by throwing them into deep water.

How it feels

Attachment and struggle → Renunciation and responsibility. Multiple royal lives reveal the cost of choices.

Chapters 6–9 of Canto 9: Saubhari, Sagara and Bhagīratha's lineage. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 8: The Sons of Sagara Meet Lord Kapiladeva

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The co-wives of this wife of Bāhuka gave her poison with her food, but still her son was born with the poison. The son was therefore named Sagara ( sa means “with,” and gara means “poison”).
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.8
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. asamañjasaḥthe son of Sagara Mahārāja
  2. ātmānampersonally
  3. darśayanexhibiting
  4. asamañjasamvery disturbing
  5. jāti-smaraḥable to remember his past life
  6. purāformerly
  7. saṅgātfrom bad association
  8. yogīalthough he was a great mystic yogī
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

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

Which associations in my life support spiritual progress, and which weaken it?

Practice

Step back today from one interaction that encourages harmful behavior.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayBad Association Can Undermine Spiritual ProgressThis 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 9.8.15-16? Get an answer from the verses themselves.