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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 6: Conversation Between Nārada and Vyāsadeva
1.6.221.6.24

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.6.23

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 1.6.5inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaNārada Muni → Vyāsadeva

सत्सेवयादीर्घयापि जाता मयि द‍ृढा मति: ।

हित्वावद्यमिमं लोकं गन्ता मज्जनतामसि ॥ २३ ॥

sat-sevayādīrghayāpi

jātā mayi dṛḍhā matiḥ

hitvāvadyam imaṁ lokaṁ

gantā maj-janatām asi

Translation

By service of the Absolute Truth, even for a few days, a devotee attains firm and fixed intelligence in Me. Consequently he goes on to become My associate in the transcendental world after giving up the present deplorable material worlds.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Guided Service Establishes Firm Devotion

  1. 1

    Serving the Absolute Truth means serving the Absolute Personality of Godhead under a bona fide spiritual master’s direction. The spiritual master is a transparent medium between the Lord and the beginner.

  2. 2

    Imperfect material senses cannot bring a beginner directly to the Lord. Training in devotional service develops firm intelligence in that service, even within a few days.

  3. 3

    Such service ultimately frees the devotee from continued life in the material worlds. It leads to becoming a liberated associate of the Lord in His transcendental kingdom.

Key points from the purport
  • Serving the Absolute Truth means rendering service unto the Absolute Personality of Godhead under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, who is a transparent medium between the Lord and the neophyte devotee.
  • The neophyte devotee has no ability to approach the Absolute Personality of Godhead by the strength of his present imperfect material senses, and therefore under the direction of the spiritual master he is trained in transcendental service of the Lord.
  • And by such training, even for some days, the neophyte devotee gets intelligence in such transcendental service, which leads him ultimately to get free from perpetual inhabitation in the material worlds and to be promoted to the transcendental world to become one of the liberated associates of the Lord in the kingdom of God.

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 6: Conversation Between Nārada and Vyāsadeva

Nārada recounts seeing Kṛṣṇa within his heart and becoming fixed in unbroken devotional service.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.6
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sat-sevayāby service of the Absolute Truth
  2. adīrghayāfor some days
  3. apieven
  4. jātāhaving attained
  5. mayiunto Me
  6. dṛḍhāfirm
  7. matiḥintelligence
  8. hitvāhaving given up
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 1.6

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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 1.6

    In this verse: “absolute truth”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 1.6

    In this verse: “material”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I willing to receive guidance rather than rely only on my imperfect senses?

Practice

Review one instruction on devotional service from a bona fide spiritual master and identify a small way to follow it.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayGuided Service Establishes Firm DevotionThis 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 1.6.23? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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