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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
1.2.191.2.21

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.2.20

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.2.2inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

एवं प्रसन्नमनसो भगवद्भक्तियोगत: ।

भगवत्तत्त्वविज्ञानं मुक्तसङ्गस्य जायते ॥ २० ॥

evaṁ prasanna-manaso

bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ

bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ

mukta-saṅgasya jāyate

Translation

Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Reveals the Personality of Godhead

  1. 1

    Understanding that one is spirit, not a product of matter, is a perfection of human life. Rising above passion and ignorance frees one from material hankering and enlivens the mind.

  2. 2

    Realizing one’s spiritual nature is not yet perfect knowledge of the Personality of Godhead. Even the qualified brāhmaṇa must become a Vaiṣṇava and transcend the material modes.

  3. 3

    Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is understood only through devotional service, or bhakti-yoga. In the enlivened state of liberation, the pure devotee can know Him in truth.

Key points from the purport
  • And out of many thousands of such persons who have thus attained success in human life, one may know scientifically about the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
  • The fact is, however, that one cannot understand the science of the Personality of Godhead unless one is freed from the contamination of the material modes, even up to the stage of a brāhmaṇa.
  • When a qualified brāhmaṇa factually becomes a Vaiṣṇava, in the enlivened state of liberation he can know what is actually 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 1.2.20 quotesBG 7.3

In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.3) it is said that out of many thousands of ordinary men, one fortunate man endeavors for perfection in life.

The purport of SB 1.2.20 quotesBG 18.55

In the same Bhagavad-gītā (18.55) it is also said that scientific knowledge of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is understood only by the process of devotional service (bhakti-yoga) .

Quoted in the purport ofSB 2.9.37

The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.20) affirms this: Thus in the completely satisfied stage of life, exhibited by full detachment from the world of sense enjoyment as a result of performing devotional service, one can understand the science of God in the liberated stage.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.24.52

mukta-saṅgasya jāyate. By practicing bhagavad-bhakti-yoga, one becomes fearless and joyful.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.26.11

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.20): Unless one can become free from the influence of passion and ignorance, he cannot be pacified, and without being pacified, one cannot understand the science of God.

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. evamthus
  2. prasannaenlivened
  3. manasaḥof the mind
  4. bhagavat-bhaktithe devotional service of the Lord
  5. yogataḥby contact of
  6. bhagavatregarding the Personality of Godhead
  7. tattvaknowledge
  8. vijñānamscientific
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotee”, “bhakti-yoga”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “understanding”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 1.2

    In this verse: “material”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Do I see spiritual understanding as a step toward devotional service, rather than an end by itself?

Practice

Reread this translation slowly, focusing on devotional service as the means of truly knowing 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.

3 lectures given on it · quoted in 28 more lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Show 1 more lecture on it
Quoted in 28 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 todayDevotional Service Reveals the Personality of GodheadThis 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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