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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
1.2.261.2.28-29

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.2.27

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.2.2inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

रजस्तम:प्रकृतय: समशीला भजन्ति वै ।

पितृभूतप्रजेशादीन्श्रियैश्वर्यप्रजेप्सव: ॥ २७ ॥

rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ

sama-śīlā bhajanti vai

pitṛ-bhūta-prajeśādīn

śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ

Translation

Those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance worship those in the same category — namely the forefathers, other living beings and the demigods who are in charge of cosmic activities — for they are urged by a desire to be materially benefited with women, wealth, power and progeny.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Work Faithfully and Worship the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    Those influenced by passion and ignorance worship forefathers, other living beings and demigods for material benefits. Such benefits are temporary and do not fulfill the aim of ending life’s miseries.

  2. 2

    Material enjoyment should be accepted only to the extent of life’s bare necessities. Seeking more binds one increasingly to the miseries of material existence, whereas Viṣṇu worship benefits one in this life and after death.

  3. 3

    One should work hard, perform occupational duties properly with faith in God, and worship the Supreme Lord with the fruits of that work. Bhāgavata-dharma teaches worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead alone and leads one back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • There is no need to worship demigods of whatsoever category if one is serious about going back to Godhead.
  • Material enjoyment should be accepted only up to the point of the bare necessities of life and not more or less than that.
  • For material enjoyment there is no need to approach the demigods.

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 1.2.27 quotesBG 7.20

In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.20, 23) it is clearly said that those who are mad after material enjoyment approach the different demigods for temporary benefits, which are meant for men with a poor fund of knowledge.

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. rajaḥthe mode of passion
  2. tamaḥthe mode of ignorance
  3. prakṛtayaḥof that mentality
  4. sama-śīlāḥof the same categories
  5. bhajantido worship
  6. vaiactually
  7. pitṛthe forefathers
  8. bhūtaother living beings
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “wealth”, “materially”, “material”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “worship”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

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

    In this verse: “duties”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How could my daily work support worship of the Supreme Lord rather than increased material enjoyment?

Practice

Set aside a small part of the fruits of today’s work for worship of 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.

1 lecture 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 todayWork Faithfully and Worship the Supreme LordThis 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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