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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 1 · Creation · 19 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 1 · Chapter 11: Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Entrance into Dvārakā
1.11.11.11.3

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.11.2

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.11.1inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

स उच्चकाशे धवलोदरो दरो-

ऽप्युरुक्रमस्याधरशोणशोणिमा ।

दाध्मायमान: करकञ्जसम्पुटे

यथाब्जखण्डे कलहंस उत्स्वन: ॥ २ ॥

sa uccakāśe dhavalodaro daro

’py urukramasyādharaśoṇa-śoṇimā

dādhmāyamānaḥ kara-kañja-sampuṭe

yathābja-khaṇḍe kala-haṁsa utsvanaḥ

Translation

The white and fat-bowled conchshell, being gripped by the hand of Lord Kṛṣṇa and sounded by Him, appeared to be reddened by the touch of His transcendental lips. It seemed that a white swan was playing in the stems of red lotus flowers.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Contact With Kṛṣṇa Awakens Spiritual Life

  1. 1

    The white conchshell appeared reddened by the touch of the Lord’s lips. This change carries spiritual significance: contact with Śrī Kṛṣṇa brings spiritual enlightenment.

  2. 2

    The Lord is all spirit and is present in every particle of existence. He can manifest His presence in anyone.

  3. 3

    Through ardent love and devotional service, everything becomes spiritually enlivened, like the conchshell in His hand. The supremely intelligent person finds spiritual bliss at the Lord’s lotus feet.

Key points from the purport
  • The redness of the white conchshell due to the lip-touch of the Lord is a symbol of spiritual significance.
  • The Lord is all spirit, and matter is ignorance of this spiritual existence.
  • Factually there is nothing like matter in spiritual enlightenment, and this spiritual enlightenment takes place at once by the contact of the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

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

Longing → Joy and continuity. Departure and welcome coexist; Parīkṣit embodies continuity of grace.

Chapters 10–12 of Canto 1: Kṛṣṇa returns to Dvārakā; Parīkṣit is born. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 11: Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Entrance into Dvārakā

Dvārakā’s citizens and Kṛṣṇa’s family joyfully welcome Him home.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.11
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saḥthat
  2. uccakāśebecame brilliant
  3. dhavala-udaraḥwhite and fat-bowled
  4. daraḥconchshell
  5. apialthough it is so
  6. urukramasyaof the great adventurer
  7. adharaśoṇaby the transcendental quality of His lips
  8. śoṇimāreddened
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

  • Prema · Transcendental love

    The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 1.11

    In this verse: “love”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 1.11

    In this verse: “devotional service”

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

How might devotional service change the way I see an ordinary activity?

Practice

Choose one task today and do it with the conscious intention of serving Kṛṣṇa.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayContact With Kṛṣṇa Awakens Spiritual LifeThis 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 1.11.2? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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