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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 2: Divinity and Divine Service
1.2.121.2.14

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.2.13

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.2.2inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

अत: पुम्भिर्द्विजश्रेष्ठा वर्णाश्रमविभागश: ।

स्वनुष्ठितस्य धर्मस्य संसिद्धिर्हरितोषणम् ॥ १३ ॥

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā

varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ

svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya

saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

Translation

O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one’s own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Perfect Your Duties by Pleasing the Lord

  1. 1

    The highest perfection of prescribed duties is to please the Personality of Godhead. Every occupation and order of life should serve this aim.

  2. 2

    The divisions of varṇāśrama-dharma are based on work and qualification, not birth. They are meant to support orderly social life and realization of the Absolute Truth.

  3. 3

    These divisions are not meant for one group to dominate another. Their highest purpose is joint cooperation for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord.

Key points from the purport
  • Human society all over the world is divided into four castes and four orders of life.
  • In the best interest of human society there must be such divisions of life, otherwise no social institution can grow in a healthy state.
  • And in each and every one of the above-mentioned divisions of life, the aim must be to please the supreme authority of the Personality of Godhead.

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· 5

The purport of SB 1.2.13 quotesBG 4.13

This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.13).

Quoted in the purport ofSB 1.12.34

The Bhāgavatam says, therefore, that the prime duty of the human being is to satisfy the Supreme Lord by the performance of one’s occupational duty.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.13.4

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.13) also it is stated, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam: the perfection of duty is to see that by discharging one’s specific duties one satisfies the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.24.72

Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam: we should continue executing our occupational duties, but if we try to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by our duties, then our lives will be perfected.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 5.9.4

As confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam.

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

Concern → Purpose. A spiritually urgent question emerges for the age of Kali.

Chapters 1–3 of Canto 1: The sages ask the ultimate questions. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 2: Divinity and Divine Service

Sūta explains how hearing about Kṛṣṇa and rendering devotional service purify the heart.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.2
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ataḥso
  2. pumbhiḥby the human being
  3. dvija-śreṣṭhāḥO best among the twice-born
  4. varṇa-āśramathe institution of four castes and four orders of life
  5. vibhāgaśaḥby the division of
  6. svanuṣṭhitasyaof one’s own prescribed duties
  7. dharmasyaoccupational
  8. saṁsiddhiḥthe highest perfection
  9. harithe Personality of Godhead
  10. toṣaṇampleasing
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 1.2

    In this verse: “duties”, “varṇāśrama-dharma”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 1.2

    In this verse: “absolute truth”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How could I approach my responsibilities as cooperation for the Lord's satisfaction?

Practice

Choose one responsibility today and carry it out with the conscious aim of pleasing the Supreme Lord.

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.

3 lectures given on it · quoted in 77 more lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Show 1 more lecture on it
Quoted in 77 other lectures

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayPerfect Your Duties by Pleasing the LordOne 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 1.2.13? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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