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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.
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Canto 1 · Chapter 15: The Pāṇḍavas Retire Timely
1.15.401.15.42

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.15.41

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.15.28inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

वाचं जुहाव मनसि तत्प्राण इतरे च तम् ।

मृत्यावपानं सोत्सर्गं तं पञ्चत्वे ह्यजोहवीत् ॥ ४१ ॥

vācaṁ juhāva manasi

tat prāṇa itare ca tam

mṛtyāv apānaṁ sotsargaṁ

taṁ pañcatve hy ajohavīt

Translation

Then he amalgamated all the sense organs into the mind, then the mind into life, life into breathing, his total existence into the embodiment of the five elements, and his body into death. Then, as pure self, he became free from the material conception of life.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Turn the Mind Toward the Lord’s Service

  1. 1

    Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira gathered the activities of his senses into the mind and turned his mind toward the transcendental service of the Lord.

  2. 2

    The mind’s activities cannot be stopped, because they reflect the eternal soul. Their quality can change from material activity to transcendental service.

  3. 3

    Constant loving service to the Lord’s lotus feet purifies the mind. Such a purified mind no longer produces another material body, and the pure soul can return home, back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • He prayed that since all material activities are performed by the mind in terms of actions and reactions of the material senses, and since he was going back to Godhead, the mind would wind up its material activities and be turned towards the transcendental service to the Lord.
  • Actually the activities of the mind cannot be stopped, for they are the reflection of the eternal soul, but the quality of the activities can be changed from matter to the transcendental service of the Lord.
  • The material color of the mind is changed when one washes it clean of the contaminations of life-breathing and thereby frees it from the contamination of repeated births and deaths and situates it in pure spiritual life.

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 15: The Pāṇḍavas Retire Timely

Arjuna grieves over Kṛṣṇa’s departure, and the Pāṇḍavas retire, fixing their minds on His lotus feet.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.15
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. vācamspeeches
  2. juhāvarelinquished
  3. manasiinto the mind
  4. tat prāṇemind into breathing
  5. itare caother senses also
  6. taminto that
  7. mṛtyauinto death
  8. apānambreathing
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 1.15

    In this verse: “material”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 1.15

    In this verse: “free from”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 1.15

    In this verse: “death”

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 could I redirect one recurring material thought toward service to the Lord?

Practice

Spend one quiet minute praying that your mind may turn toward the Lord’s service.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

1 lecture given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayTurn the Mind Toward the Lord’s ServiceThis 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.

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