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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 5: Nārada’s Instructions on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for Vyāsadeva
1.5.131.5.15

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.5.14

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 1.5.8inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaNārada Muni → Vyāsadeva

ततोऽन्यथा किञ्चन यद्विवक्षत:

पृथग्दृशस्तत्कृतरूपनामभि: ।

न कर्हिचित्क्वापि च दु:स्थिता मति-

र्लभेत वाताहतनौरिवास्पदम् ॥ १४ ॥

tato ’nyathā kiñcana yad vivakṣataḥ

pṛthag dṛśas tat-kṛta-rūpa-nāmabhiḥ

na karhicit kvāpi ca duḥsthitā matir

labheta vātāhata-naur ivāspadam

Translation

Whatever you desire to describe that is separate in vision from the Lord simply reacts, with different forms, names and results, to agitate the mind, as the wind agitates a boat which has no resting place.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

See Everything in Relation to the Lord

  1. 1

    Descriptions that separate things from the Lord agitate the mind. Like a boat driven by wind, such a mind finds no resting place.

  2. 2

    The Supreme Lord is like the root of a tree or the stomach of a body. Serving Him nourishes the whole, just as watering the root nourishes the tree.

  3. 3

    Competing objects of worship can leave people uncertain about the path of self-realization. The Bhāgavatam directs us toward our eternal relationship with the Personality of Godhead through devotional service in transcendental love.

Key points from the purport
  • Śrī Vyāsadeva is the editor of all descriptions of the Vedic literatures, and thus he has described transcendental realization in different ways, namely by fruitive activities, speculative knowledge, mystic power and devotional service.
  • The result is that people in general are puzzled how to fix their minds in the service of the Lord; they are always disturbed about finding the real path of self-realization.
  • Therefore, Śrīla Vyāsadeva should not have compiled any Purāṇas other than the Bhāgavata Purāṇa because a slight deviation from that may create havoc for self-realization.

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

Dissatisfaction → Inspired clarity. Even great accomplishment leaves Vyāsa without contentment until devotion is centered.

Chapters 4–6 of Canto 1: Vyāsa is dissatisfied; Nārada directs him to the Lord. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 5: Nārada’s Instructions on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for Vyāsadeva

Nārada urges Vyāsadeva to describe the Lord’s glories and recalls his own service to sages.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.5
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tataḥfrom that
  2. anyathāapart
  3. kiñcanasomething
  4. yatwhatsoever
  5. vivakṣataḥdesiring to describe
  6. pṛthakseparately
  7. dṛśaḥvision
  8. tat-kṛtareactionary to that
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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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 1.5

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

  • Prema · Transcendental love

    The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 1.5

    In this verse: “love”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What helps me fix my mind on serving the Lord when different aims pull me in different directions?

Practice

Before one activity today, pause and consider how to perform it in relation to the Lord’s service.

5

The story around it

The stories 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 todaySee Everything in Relation to the 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.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 1.5.14? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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