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

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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
1.15.451.15.47-48

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.15.46

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.15.28inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

ते साधुकृतसर्वार्था ज्ञात्वात्यन्तिकमात्मन: ।

मनसा धारयामासुर्वैकुण्ठचरणाम्बुजम् ॥ ४६ ॥

te sādhu-kṛta-sarvārthā

jñātvātyantikam ātmanaḥ

manasā dhārayām āsur

vaikuṇṭha-caraṇāmbujam

Translation

They all had performed all the principles of religion and as a result rightly decided that the lotus feet of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa are the supreme goal of all. Therefore they meditated upon His feet without interruption.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa’s Lotus Feet Are the Supreme Goal

  1. 1

    The Pāṇḍavas understood that the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa are the supreme goal. They therefore meditated upon His feet without interruption.

  2. 2

    The purport explains that freedom from the reactions of impious acts allows concentration upon the Lord’s lotus feet. The Pāṇḍavas had always performed supreme pious work and were free from such reactions.

  3. 3

    The Vaikuṇṭha world lies far beyond the material sky. Unlike the material world, it is managed by the Lord’s personal energy.

Key points from the purport
  • In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.28) the Lord says that only those who have done pious deeds in previous lives and have become freed from the results of all impious acts can concentrate upon the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
  • The Pāṇḍavas, not only in this life but also in their previous lives, had always performed the supreme pious work, and thus they are ever free from all the reactions of impious work.
  • It is quite reasonable, therefore, that they concentrated their minds upon the lotus feet 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.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 1.15.46 quotesBG 7.28

In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.28) the Lord says that only those who have done pious deeds in previous lives and have become freed from the results of all impious acts can concentrate upon the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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. teall of them
  2. sādhu-kṛtahaving performed everything worthy of a saint
  3. sarva-arthāḥthat which includes everything worthy
  4. jñātvāknowing it well
  5. ātyantikamthe ultimate
  6. ātmanaḥof the living being
  7. manasāwithin the mind
  8. dhārayām āsuḥsustained
  9. vaikuṇṭhathe Lord of the spiritual sky
  10. caraṇa-ambujamthe lotus feet
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 1.15

    In this verse: “religion”, “principles”

  • 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”

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 draws my attention away from accepting Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet as my supreme goal?

Practice

Spend one uninterrupted minute remembering the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

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 todayKṛṣṇa’s Lotus Feet Are the Supreme GoalThis 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 1.15.46? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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