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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
1.2.231.2.25

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.2.24

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

पार्थिवाद्दारुणो धूमस्तस्मादग्निस्त्रयीमय: ।

तमसस्तु रजस्तस्मात्सत्त्वं यद्ब्रह्मदर्शनम् ॥ २४ ॥

pārthivād dāruṇo dhūmas

tasmād agnis trayīmayaḥ

tamasas tu rajas tasmāt

sattvaṁ yad brahma-darśanam

Translation

Firewood is a transformation of earth, but smoke is better than the raw wood. And fire is still better, for by fire we can derive the benefits of superior knowledge [through Vedic sacrifices]. Similarly, passion [rajas] is better than ignorance [tamas], but goodness [sattva] is best because by goodness one can come to realize the Absolute Truth.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Rise Toward Goodness With Spiritual Guidance

  1. 1

    As fire is more useful than smoke or wood, goodness is higher than passion and ignorance. Goodness helps one realize the Absolute Truth.

  2. 2

    A sincere person should approach an expert spiritual master for guidance. Such a spiritual master can direct a disciple toward goodness from any stage of life.

  3. 3

    Different kinds of worship do not bring equally beneficial results. Devotional service to the Personality of Godhead releases one from conditioned material existence.

Key points from the purport
  • Sincere candidates must, therefore, approach an expert spiritual master for such a progressive march, and the bona fide, expert spiritual master is competent to direct a disciple from any stage of life: tamas, rajas or sattva.
  • The civilized life of man, with a passion for various types of material benefits, is the stage of rajas.
  • The rajas stage of life gives a slight clue to the realization of the Absolute Truth in the forms of fine sentiments in philosophy, art and culture with moral and ethical principles, but the mode of sattva is a still higher stage of material quality, which actually helps one in realizing the Absolute Truth.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. pārthivātfrom earth
  2. dāruṇaḥfirewood
  3. dhūmaḥsmoke
  4. tasmātfrom that
  5. agniḥfire
  6. trayīVedic sacrifices
  7. mayaḥmade of
  8. tamasaḥin the mode of ignorance
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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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “absolute truth”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “worship”

  • 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

How willing am I to accept spiritual guidance that helps me progress toward goodness and devotional service?

Practice

Write down one difficulty in your spiritual progress that you would like to discuss with an expert spiritual master.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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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 todayRise Toward Goodness With Spiritual GuidanceThis 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 1.2.24? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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