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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 5: Nārada’s Instructions on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for Vyāsadeva
1.5.271.5.29

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.5.28

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 1.5.8inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaNārada Muni → Vyāsadeva

इत्थं शरत्प्रावृषिकावृतू हरे-

र्विश‍ृण्वतो मेऽनुसवं यशोऽमलम् ।

सङ्कीर्त्यमानं मुनिभिर्महात्मभि-

र्भक्ति: प्रवृत्तात्मरजस्तमोपहा ॥ २८ ॥

itthaṁ śarat-prāvṛṣikāv ṛtū harer

viśṛṇvato me ’nusavaṁ yaśo ’malam

saṅkīrtyamānaṁ munibhir mahātmabhir

bhaktiḥ pravṛttātma-rajas-tamopahā

Translation

Thus during two seasons — the rainy season and autumn — I had the opportunity to hear these great-souled sages constantly chant the unadulterated glories of the Lord Hari. As the flow of my devotional service began, the coverings of the modes of passion and ignorance vanished.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotion Flows Toward Love of God

  1. 1

    Loving service to the Supreme Lord is the natural inclination of every living being. The modes of passion and ignorance cover this dormant inclination.

  2. 2

    By the grace of the Lord and His great-souled devotees, one gains pure association and hears His unadulterated glories. This hearing awakens the flow of devotional service.

  3. 3

    Like a river flowing toward the sea, pure devotional service progresses toward transcendental love of God. Its ever-increasing flow removes the coverings of passion and ignorance.

Key points from the purport
  • Transcendental loving service for the Supreme Lord is the natural inclination of every living being.
  • If, by the grace of the Lord and the great-souled devotees of the Lord, a living being becomes fortunate enough to associate with the unadulterated devotees of the Lord and gets a chance to hear the unadulterated glories of the Lord, certainly the flow of devotional service takes place like the flow of a river.
  • The flow of devotional service is so potent that any onlooker also becomes liberated from the influence of the modes of passion and ignorance.

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. itthamthus
  2. śaratautumn
  3. prāvṛṣikaurainy season
  4. ṛtūtwo seasons
  5. hareḥof the Lord
  6. viśṛṇvataḥcontinuously hearing
  7. memyself
  8. anusavamconstantly
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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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 1.5

    In this verse: “chant”, “hearing”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 1.5

    In this verse: “grace”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How might regular hearing of the Lord’s glories nourish your natural desire to serve Him?

Practice

Reserve a short period today to hear a pure devotee glorify Lord Hari without interruption.

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 todayDevotion Flows Toward Love of GodThis 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 1.5.28? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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