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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 15: The Pāṇḍavas Retire Timely
1.15.411.15.43

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.15.42

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

त्रित्वे हुत्वा च पञ्चत्वं तच्चैकत्वेऽजुहोन्मुनि: ।

सर्वमात्मन्यजुहवीद्ब्रह्मण्यात्मानमव्यये ॥ ४२ ॥

tritve hutvā ca pañcatvaṁ

tac caikatve ’juhon muniḥ

sarvam ātmany ajuhavīd

brahmaṇy ātmānam avyaye

Translation

Thus annihilating the gross body of five elements into the three qualitative modes of material nature, he merged them in one nescience and then absorbed that nescience in the self, Brahman, which is inexhaustible in all circumstances.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Realize Your Spiritual Nature Through Service

  1. 1

    The living entity is different from material products and is the Lord’s eternal servant. Forgetting this nature leads to the false conception of being lord of material nature.

  2. 2

    Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira no longer thought of himself as Emperor or head of the Kuru dynasty. Freedom from material identification allows one to serve the Lord even while in the material world.

  3. 3

    One must not merely think oneself Brahman, or pure spirit, but must act accordingly. The pure devotee expresses spiritual realization through service to the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • Thus the gross body of five elements is produced.
  • Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira reversed the action and merged the five elements of the body in the three modes of material nature.
  • The qualitative distinction of the body as being good, bad or mediocre is extinguished, and again the qualitative manifestations become merged in the material energy, which is produced from a false sense of the pure living being.

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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tritveinto the three qualities
  2. hutvāhaving offered
  3. caalso
  4. pañcatvamfive elements
  5. tatthat
  6. caalso
  7. ekatvein one nescience
  8. ajuhotamalgamated
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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”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 1.15

    In this verse: “devotee”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 1.15

    In this verse: “emperor”

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

Does my understanding of myself as spirit lead me to act as the Lord’s servant?

Practice

Before one act of service today, pause and remember, “I am the Lord’s servant, not the master of material nature.”

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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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 todayRealize Your Spiritual Nature Through 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.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 1.15.42? Get an answer from the verses themselves.