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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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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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
1.5.51.5.7

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.5.6

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Vyāsadevasince 1.5.5inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaNārada Muni → Vyāsadeva

स वै भवान् वेद समस्तगुह्य-

मुपासितो यत्पुरुष: पुराण: ।

परावरेशो मनसैव विश्वं

सृजत्यवत्यत्ति गुणैरसङ्ग: ॥ ६ ॥

sa vai bhavān veda samasta-guhyam

upāsito yat puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ

parāvareśo manasaiva viśvaṁ

sṛjaty avaty atti guṇair asaṅgaḥ

Translation

My lord! Everything that is mysterious is known to you because you worship the creator and destroyer of the material world and the maintainer of the spiritual world, the original Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental to the three modes of material nature.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Perfection Through Full Devotional Service

  1. 1

    Nārada knows confidential truths because he worships the original Personality of Godhead. The Lord governs the material and spiritual worlds while remaining transcendental to material nature.

  2. 2

    A person fully engaged in the Lord’s service is an emblem of all knowledge. Perfection in devotional service brings spiritual perfection.

  3. 3

    Mystic powers form only a small part of such a devotee’s opulence. Although Nārada is a fully perfect living being, he is not equal to the Personality of Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • A person who is cent-percent engaged in the service of the Lord is the emblem of all knowledge.
  • Such a devotee of the Lord in full perfection of devotional service is also perfect by the qualification of the Personality of Godhead.
  • Śrīla Nārada is a cent-percent perfect living being, although not equal to the Personality of Godhead.

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. saḥthus
  2. vaicertainly
  3. bhavānyourself
  4. vedaknow
  5. samastaall-inclusive
  6. guhyamconfidential
  7. upāsitaḥdevotee of
  8. yatbecause
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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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “worship”, “devotional service”, “devotee’s”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “material”

  • 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

Do I value devotional service more than extraordinary powers or abilities?

Practice

Set aside a brief, undistracted moment today to worship the Personality of Godhead.

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 todayPerfection Through Full Devotional ServiceThis 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 1.5.6? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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