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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
1.2.61.2.8

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.2.7

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

वासुदेवे भगवति भक्तियोग: प्रयोजित: ।

जनयत्याशु वैराग्यं ज्ञानं च यदहैतुकम् ॥ ७ ॥

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

Translation

By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Brings Knowledge and Detachment

  1. 1

    Devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is the topmost transcendental activity. It is both sublime and accessible to beginners, and it is open to all living beings.

  2. 2

    Devotional service produces knowledge and detachment by the Lord’s grace. As attachment to spiritual service develops, attachment to inferior material enjoyment naturally diminishes.

  3. 3

    Detachment does not mean becoming inactive; it means engaging positively in service to the Lord. A pure devotee possesses knowledge and detachment, but knowledge or detachment alone does not necessarily bring devotional service.

Key points from the purport
  • Those who consider devotional service to the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa to be something like material emotional affairs may argue that in the revealed scriptures, sacrifice, charity, austerity, knowledge, mystic powers and similar other processes of transcendental realization are recommended.
  • The bhakti cult is the topmost of all transcendental activities, and therefore it is simultaneously sublime and easy.
  • The bhakti cult is meant for realization of the positive form.

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

Quoted in the purport ofSB 3.26.72

As it is stated in the First Canto, Second Chapter, of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.7), vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 3.27.1

Similarly, vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ: when one engages fully in the activities of devotional service, bhakti-yoga, he becomes just like the sun reflected on water.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.22.39

jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam. Here also the same point is stressed.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.25.62

This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.7): Devotional service automatically reveals actual knowledge of our material existence.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.29.36-37

“By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.”

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. vāsudeveunto Kṛṣṇa
  2. bhagavatiunto the Personality of Godhead
  3. bhakti-yogaḥcontact of devotional service
  4. prayojitaḥbeing applied
  5. janayatidoes produce
  6. āśuvery soon
  7. vairāgyamdetachment
  8. jñānamknowledge
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”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 1.2

    In this verse: “causeless”, “grace”

  • 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 cultivating positive service to Kṛṣṇa rather than merely trying to give things up?

Practice

Set aside five minutes today for devotional service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, with the intention of pleasing Him.

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.

5 lectures given on it · quoted in 51 more lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Show 3 more lectures on it
Quoted in 51 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 Brings Knowledge and DetachmentOne of the 108 chosen lessons: a practice and a question from this verse

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 1.2.7? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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