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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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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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
1.2.151.2.17

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.2.16

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.2.2inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

शुश्रूषो: श्रद्दधानस्य वासुदेवकथारुचि: ।

स्यान्महत्सेवया विप्रा: पुण्यतीर्थनिषेवणात् ॥ १६ ॥

śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya

vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ

syān mahat-sevayā viprāḥ

puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt

Translation

O twice-born sages, by serving those devotees who are completely freed from all vice, great service is done. By such service, one gains affinity for hearing the messages of Vāsudeva.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Serving Devotees Awakens Eagerness to Hear

  1. 1

    By serving pure devotees who are freed from vice, one develops a taste for hearing the messages of Vāsudeva. Eagerness to hear about God is the first qualification for entering His kingdom.

  2. 2

    True servants of God urge people to become devotees of the Lord; they never falsely claim to be God. Claims of divine incarnation must be confirmed by the revealed scriptures.

  3. 3

    The Lord is especially pleased when His servants are properly respected, because they risk everything in His service. By serving them, one gradually gains their qualities.

Key points from the purport
  • The conditioned life of a living being is caused by his revolting against the Lord.
  • The servants of God urge people to become devotees of the Lord.
  • By serving the servants of the Lord, one gradually gets the quality of such servants, and thus one becomes qualified to hear the glories of God.

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 1.2.16 quotesBG 18.69

The Lord declares in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.69) that no one is dearer to Him than one who risks everything to preach His glory.

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. śuśrūṣoḥone who is engaged in hearing
  2. śraddadhānasyawith care and attention
  3. vāsudevain respect to Vāsudeva
  4. kathāthe message
  5. ruciḥaffinity
  6. syātis made possible
  7. mahat-sevayāby service rendered to pure devotees
  8. viprāḥO twice-born
  9. puṇya-tīrthathose who are cleansed of all vice
  10. niṣevaṇātby service
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 1.2

    In this verse: “devotees”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 1.2

    In this verse: “hearing”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 1.2

    In this verse: “kingdom”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How could I cooperate with a servant of the Lord and become more eager to hear about Him?

Practice

Offer one small act of practical help to a devotee who teaches the Lord’s messages.

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 2 more lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Show 1 more lecture on it
Quoted in 2 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 todayServing Devotees Awakens Eagerness to HearThis 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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