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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 2: Divinity and Divine Service
1.2.201.2.22

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.2.21

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

भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थिश्छिद्यन्ते सर्वसंशया: ।

क्षीयन्ते चास्य कर्माणि द‍ृष्ट एवात्मनीश्वरे ॥ २१ ॥

bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś

chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ

kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi

dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare

Translation

Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the self as master.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Loving Service Unties the Heart’s Knot

  1. 1

    Realizing Śrī Kṛṣṇa through bhakti-yoga also reveals one’s own spiritual identity. The soul and Supersoul are distinct identities, qualitatively one but quantitatively different.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa illuminates His devotee’s heart and removes doubts, just as sunlight removes darkness. Perfect knowledge descends through paramparā and is received through submissive hearing, service and surrender.

  3. 3

    The Lord unties ahaṅkāra, the knot that makes the living being falsely identify with matter. Fully engaging in loving service to Him ends the chain of karma, so one’s actions no longer produce material reactions.

Key points from the purport
  • As far as the identity of the living being as spirit self is concerned, there are a number of speculations and misgivings.
  • As soon as the Kṛṣṇa sun is arisen within one’s heart, the darkness of materialistic speculations about the Absolute Truth and the living beings is at once cleared off.
  • Therefore, because of the Personality of Godhead’s taking charge of illuminating the heart of His devotee, certainly a devotee, engaged in His service in transcendental love, cannot remain in darkness.

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· 2

The purport of SB 1.2.21 quotesBG 10.11

In the Bhagavad-gītā (10.11) the Lord says that in order to show special favor to His pure devotees, He personally eradicates the dense darkness of all misgivings by switching on the light of pure knowledge within the heart of a devotee.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 6.17.17

This is also expressed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.21).

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. bhidyatepierced
  2. hṛdayaheart
  3. granthiḥknots
  4. chidyantecut to pieces
  5. sarvaall
  6. saṁśayāḥmisgivings
  7. kṣīyanteterminated
  8. caand
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: “devotee’s”, “bhakti-yoga”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

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

    In this verse: “hearing”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I approaching knowledge of the Lord with a willingness to hear, serve and surrender?

Practice

Reread one paragraph of this purport with a receptive attitude, noting what it teaches about your spiritual identity.

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.

2 lectures given on it · quoted in 1 more lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 1 other lecture

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 todayLoving Service Unties the Heart’s KnotThis 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 1.2.21? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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