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

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Canto 10 · The Summum Bonum · 90 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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.14.3

Who is speaking and story frame

ज्ञाने प्रयासमुदपास्य नमन्त एव

जीवन्ति सन्मुखरितां भवदीयवार्ताम् ।

स्थाने स्थिता: श्रुतिगतां तनुवाङ्‌मनोभि-

र्ये प्रायशोऽजित जितोऽप्यसि तैस्त्रिलोक्याम् ॥ ३ ॥

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva

jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām

sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir

ye prāyaśo ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām

Translation

Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.

Read the purport on Vedabase.io

From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Humble Hearing Conquers the Unconquerable Lord

  1. 1

    One should give up trying to understand the Absolute Truth through mental speculation. Even while remaining in one’s established social position, one can dedicate life to hearing about Kṛṣṇa.

  2. 2

    Respect the Lord’s topics with body, words and mind. Offer obeisances, praise the transcendental literatures and their teachers, and hear with reverence and pleasure.

  3. 3

    Bodily strength, verbal expertise and mental power cannot conquer Kṛṣṇa without loving service. Yet sincere devotees conquer the otherwise unconquerable Lord through devotion and attain eternal life at His side.

Key points from the purport
  • In reference to the word jitaḥ, “conquered,” the words tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ indicate that the pure devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa conquer His body, words and mind.
  • Lord Kṛṣṇa’s body is conquered because He always remains by the side of His pure devotees; Lord Kṛṣṇa’s words are conquered because He always chants the glories of His devotees; and Lord Kṛṣṇa’s mind is conquered because He always thinks about His loving devotees.
  • He explains that the devotees can take full advantage of the transcendental topics of the Lord by offering all respects to those topics with their body, words and mind.

The purport's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 5

Quoted in the purport ofSB 2.9.18

Lord Brahmā said, “O my Lord Kṛṣṇa, a devotee who abandons the path of empiric philosophical speculation aimed at merging in the existence of the Supreme and engages himself in hearing Your glories and activities from a bona fide sādhu, or saint, and who lives an honest life in the occupational engagement of his social life, can conquer Your sympathy…

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.24.53

Finally Rāmānanda Rāya referred to the process of bhakti-yoga: sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.24.69

ye prāyaśo ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām. One may remain situated in his own place or in his own occupational duty and still lend his ear to receive the message of the Lord from realized souls.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.30.33

This is also confirmed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 9.18.2

ye prāyaśo ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām. Regardless of whether one is in the mode of passion, ignorance or goodness, if one regularly hears Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the self-realized soul, one is freed from the bondage of material involvement.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Peril and pride → Friendship and humility. Divinity is revealed amid intimate childhood play.

Chapters 12–19 of Canto 10: Childhood dangers and Brahmā's amazement. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 14: Brahmā’s Prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Only by the devotional process of hearing and chanting transcendental sounds received from Vedic authorities can one realize the Personality of Godhead. It is fruitless to try to realize God through processes outside the scope of Vedic authority.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.14
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. jñānefor knowledge
  2. prayāsamthe endeavor
  3. udapāsyagiving up completely
  4. namantaḥoffering obeisances
  5. evasimply
  6. jīvantilive
  7. sat-mukharitāmchanted by the pure devotees
  8. bhavadīya-vārtāmtopics related to You
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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 10.14

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “absolute truth”, “understand”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.14

    In this verse: “devotees”, “devotion”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 10.14

    In this verse: “narrations”, “hearing”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What would help you hear about Kṛṣṇa with greater reverence and pleasure?

Practice

Read a short passage about Kṛṣṇa aloud today, giving it your full attention and offering words of appreciation afterward.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayHumble Hearing Conquers the Unconquerable LordOne 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 10.14.3? Get an answer from the verses themselves.