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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 13: Dhṛtarāṣṭra Quits Home
1.13.161.13.18

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.13.17

Nirodha· Winding up
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhirasince 1.13.8inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

एवं गृहेषु सक्तानां प्रमत्तानां तदीहया ।

अत्यक्रामदविज्ञात: काल: परमदुस्तर: ॥ १७ ॥

evaṁ gṛheṣu saktānāṁ

pramattānāṁ tad-īhayā

atyakrāmad avijñātaḥ

kālaḥ parama-dustaraḥ

Translation

Insurmountable eternal time imperceptibly overcomes those who are too much attached to family affairs and are always engrossed in their thought.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Use Precious Time in Devotional Service

  1. 1

    Excessive absorption in family affairs can make one blind to the passing of time. Even one lost second cannot be recovered with great wealth.

  2. 2

    The living being is eternal, but the material body undergoes birth, death, disease and old age. Human life should be used to seek an ultimate solution to these sufferings.

  3. 3

    This illusion cannot overcome one who is awake in devotional service, as the Pāṇḍavas were in serving Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Lasting happiness is found in the eternal kingdom of God, not in temporary material comforts.

Key points from the purport
  • They do not know at all how to solve the problems of life, but become engrossed in temporary family affairs not knowing that eternal time is passing away imperceptibly and that their measured duration of life is diminishing every second, without any solution to the big problem, namely repetition of birth and death, disease and old age.
  • Therefore, any comfort of life or any material happiness which does not warrant an eternal life is but illusion for the eternal living being.
  • Real transcendentalists are hungry for this happiness, and as a hungry man cannot be made happy by all comforts of life minus foodstuff, so the man hungry for eternal absolute happiness cannot be satisfied by any amount of material happiness.

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

Bereavement → Renunciation. The worldly support system recedes and attachment is exposed.

Chapters 13–15 of Canto 1: Dhṛtarāṣṭra departs; Kṛṣṇa disappears; Pāṇḍavas retire. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 13: Dhṛtarāṣṭra Quits Home

Vidura warns of inevitable death; Dhṛtarāṣṭra leaves home, and Yudhiṣṭhira finds his elders absent.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.13
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. evamthus
  2. gṛheṣuin the family affairs
  3. saktānāmof persons who are too attached
  4. pramattānāminsanely attached
  5. tat-īhayāengrossed in such thoughts
  6. atyakrāmatsurpassed
  7. avijñātaḥimperceptibly
  8. kālaḥeternal time
  9. paramasupremely
  10. dustaraḥinsurmountable
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Nirodha · Returning home, back to Godhead

    What happens when everything here comes to an end? · Subject 8 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 1.13

    In this verse: “attached”, “illusion”, “wealth”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 1.13

    In this verse: “devotional service”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 1.13

    In this verse: “sufferings”

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 is taking my time without helping me move toward lasting spiritual happiness?

Practice

Set aside five minutes today from a nonessential activity and use them for devotional service to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayUse Precious Time in Devotional ServiceOne of the 108 chosen lessons: a practice and a question from this verse

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 1.13.17? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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