1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 1 · Creation · 19 chapters

12345678910111213141516171819

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 8: Prayers by Queen Kuntī and Parīkṣit Saved
1.8.261.8.28

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.8.27

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Queen Kuntīsince 1.8.18inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

नमोऽकिञ्चनवित्ताय निवृत्तगुणवृत्तये ।

आत्मारामाय शान्ताय कैवल्यपतये नम: ॥ २७ ॥

namo ’kiñcana-vittāya

nivṛtta-guṇa-vṛttaye

ātmārāmāya śāntāya

kaivalya-pataye namaḥ

Translation

My obeisances are unto You, who are the property of the materially impoverished. You have nothing to do with the actions and reactions of the material modes of nature. You are self-satisfied, and therefore You are the most gentle and are master of the monists.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Is the Devotee’s Greatest Treasure

  1. 1

    A devotee renounces material possessions not for nothing, but to gain something spiritually superior: service to the Lord. The devotees have their treasure at His lotus feet.

  2. 2

    Material hankerings and spiritual advancement go poorly together. Attention spent on unwanted things wastes energy needed for spiritual realization.

  3. 3

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is self-satisfied and never attracted by the material modes. The Lord and His pure devotees are transcendentally attached to one another.

Key points from the purport
  • The devotees of the Lord are called akiñcanas because they have practically no material assets.
  • The perfect nivṛtta-guṇa-vṛtti is the Supreme Lord because He never becomes attracted by the modes of material nature, whereas the living beings have such a tendency.
  • Because the Lord is the property of the devotees, and the devotees are the property of the Lord reciprocally, the devotees are certainly transcendental to the modes of material nature.

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

Grief → Trust. Violence and bereavement make Kṛṣṇa's protective presence precious.

Chapters 7–9 of Canto 1: Postwar anguish, Kuntī and Bhīṣma. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 8: Prayers by Queen Kuntī and Parīkṣit Saved

Kṛṣṇa protects Parīkṣit, Kuntī prays for undivided attraction to Him, and Yudhiṣṭhira grieves.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.8
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. namaḥall obeisances unto You
  2. akiñcana-vittāyaunto the property of the materially impoverished
  3. nivṛttacompletely transcendental to the actions of the material modes
  4. guṇamaterial modes
  5. vṛttayeaffection
  6. ātma-ārāmāyaone who is self-satisfied
  7. śāntāyathe most gentle
  8. kaivalya-patayeunto the master of the monists
  9. namaḥbowing down
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 1.8

    In this verse: “materially”, “attached”, “material”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 1.8

    In this verse: “devotee”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 1.8

    In this verse: “renounces”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What material desire draws my attention away from the treasure of serving the Lord?

Practice

Set aside one unnecessary material pursuit today and spend that time repeating the holy name of the Lord.

5

The story around it

The story 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 todayThe Lord Is the Devotee’s Greatest TreasureOne 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 1.8.27? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories