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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
1.5.301.5.32

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.5.31

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

येनैवाहं भगवतो वासुदेवस्य वेधस: । मायानुभावमविदं येन गच्छन्ति तत्पदम् ॥ ३१ ॥

yenaivāhaṁ bhagavato

vāsudevasya vedhasaḥ

māyānubhāvam avidaṁ

yena gacchanti tat-padam

Translation

By that confidential knowledge, I could understand clearly the influence of the energy of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the creator, maintainer and annihilator of everything. By knowing that, one can return to Him and personally meet Him.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Knowledge Leads Back to Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Through devotional service, one can understand how Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s energies work. His energies manifest the material world, the spiritual world and the living entities.

  2. 2

    Living entities serving material energy struggle for existence and illusory happiness. Those in the spiritual energy directly serve the Lord in eternal life, complete knowledge and perpetual bliss.

  3. 3

    The Lord desires that conditioned souls return to Him. Pure devotees can personally see and serve Him, and this path is open to all who follow in the footsteps of Śrī Nārada Muni.

Key points from the purport
  • By devotional service or by the most confidential knowledge, one can understand very easily how the different energies of the Lord are working.
  • One part of His energy is manifesting the material world; the other (superior) part of His energy is manifesting the spiritual world.
  • But those in the spiritual energy are placed under the direct service of the Lord in eternal life, complete knowledge and perpetual bliss.

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. yenaby which
  2. evacertainly
  3. ahamI
  4. bhagavataḥof the Personality of Godhead
  5. vāsudevasyaof Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa
  6. vedhasaḥof the supreme creator
  7. māyāenergy
  8. anubhāvaminfluence
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 1.5

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “understand”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 1.5

    In this verse: “material”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I seeking happiness mainly through material struggle or through service to the Lord?

Practice

Set aside a few minutes from one pursuit of material enjoyment to study this verse’s teaching about returning to Kṛṣṇa.

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. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayDevotional Knowledge Leads Back to KṛṣṇaThis 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 1.5.31? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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