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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 3: Kṛṣṇa Is the Source of All Incarnations
1.3.311.3.33

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.3.32

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.3.1inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

अत: परं यदव्यक्तमव्यूढगुणबृंहितम् ।

अद‍ृष्टाश्रुतवस्तुत्वात्स जीवो यत्पुनर्भव: ॥ ३२ ॥

ataḥ paraṁ yad avyaktam

avyūḍha-guṇa-bṛṁhitam

adṛṣṭāśruta-vastutvāt

sa jīvo yat punar-bhavaḥ

Translation

Beyond this gross conception of form is another, subtle conception of form which is without formal shape and is unseen, unheard and unmanifest. The living being has his form beyond this subtlety, otherwise he could not have repeated births.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Spiritual Existence Beyond Body and Mind

  1. 1

    The living being has a spiritual form beyond both the gross material body and subtle psychic existence. Neither bodily appearance nor mental activity is the full reality of the self.

  2. 2

    When the living being leaves the body, being unseen and unheard does not mean that the soul no longer exists. The soul continues to exist and takes birth again.

  3. 3

    The Lord exists eternally in His transcendental form, which must never be compared to a living being’s gross or subtle bodies. The living being also has an eternal spiritual form, conditioned by material contamination.

Key points from the purport
  • But in fact all these gross or subtle conceptions of the body are in relation with the living beings.
  • The living being has his spiritual form beyond this gross material or subtle psychic existence.
  • The conclusion is that the Lord is eternally existent in His transcendental form, which is neither gross nor subtle like that of the living being; His body is never to be compared to the gross and subtle bodies of the living being.

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 3: Kṛṣṇa Is the Source of All Incarnations

Sūta describes the Lord’s incarnations and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as His literary incarnation.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.3
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ataḥthis
  2. parambeyond
  3. yatwhich
  4. avyaktamunmanifested
  5. avyūḍhawithout formal shape
  6. guṇa-bṛṁhitamaffected by the qualities
  7. adṛṣṭaunseen
  8. aśrutaunheard
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

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 1.3

    In this verse: “contamination”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 1.3

    In this verse: “material”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Do I assume that something ceases to exist simply because I cannot see or hear it?

Practice

Spend one minute reflecting on the teaching that your spiritual existence is beyond both body and mind.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todaySpiritual Existence Beyond Body and MindThis 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 1.3.32? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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