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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
1.5.331.5.35

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.5.34

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

एवं नृणां क्रियायोगा: सर्वे संसृतिहेतव: ।

त एवात्मविनाशाय कल्पन्ते कल्पिता: परे ॥ ३४ ॥

evaṁ nṛṇāṁ kriyā-yogāḥ

sarve saṁsṛti-hetavaḥ

ta evātma-vināśāya

kalpante kalpitāḥ pare

Translation

Thus when all a man’s activities are dedicated to the service of the Lord, those very activities which caused his perpetual bondage become the destroyer of the tree of work.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Turn Binding Work Into Devotional Service

  1. 1

    Work done to enjoy its fruits is like a deeply rooted banyan tree. As long as this desire remains, the soul continues moving from one body to another according to its work.

  2. 2

    The desire for enjoyment can become the desire to serve the Lord’s mission. Dedicating the results of work to Him stops further karma and gradually develops into transcendental devotional service.

  3. 3

    Spiritual progress begins with the association and wholehearted service of pure devotees of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. Their mercy develops attachment to hearing His pastimes and knowledge of the soul’s eternal relationship with Him.

Key points from the purport
  • The summary is that one has to, first of all, seek the association of pure devotees who not only are learned in the Vedānta but are self-realized souls and unalloyed devotees of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead.
  • Gradually this is developed into a strong attachment to hearing the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, which makes him able to catch up the constitutional position of the gross and subtle bodies and beyond them the knowledge of the pure soul and his eternal relation with the Supreme Soul, the Personality of Godhead.
  • After the relation is ascertained by establishment of the eternal relation, pure devotional service to the Lord begins gradually developing into perfect knowledge of the Personality of Godhead beyond the purview of impersonal Brahman and localized Paramātmā.

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
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. evamthus
  2. nṛṇāmof the human being
  3. kriyā-yogāḥall activities
  4. sarveeverything
  5. saṁsṛtimaterial existence
  6. hetavaḥcauses
  7. tethat
  8. evacertainly
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 1.5

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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

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

    In this verse: “hearing”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How could my desire to enjoy the result of a task become a desire to serve the Lord?

Practice

Identify one result you expect from today’s work and write down a concrete way to use it in the Lord’s service.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayTurn Binding Work Into Devotional ServiceOne 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 1.5.34? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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