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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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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

How to study this verse, in six steps

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.

Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›

Canto 10 · Chapter 24: Worshiping Govardhana Hill

10.24.16 10.24.18

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.24.17

Ūti· What drives us to act

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Lord Kṛṣṇasince 10.24.13inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

देहानुच्चावचाञ्जन्तु: प्राप्योत्सृजति कर्मणा । शत्रुर्मित्रमुदासीन: कर्मैव गुरुरीश्वर: ॥ १७ ॥

dehān uccāvacāñ jantuḥ

prāpyotsṛjati karmaṇā

śatrur mitram udāsīnaḥ

karmaiva gurur īśvaraḥ

Translation

Because it is karma that causes the conditioned living entity to accept and then give up different high- and low-grade material bodies, this karma is his enemy, friend and neutral witness, his spiritual master and controlling lord.

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.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Loving Service Frees Us from Karma

1
Karma brings conditioned beings into different material bodies, and even the demigods are bound by its laws. Govinda awards every creature the appropriate results of its work.
2
Demigods cannot grant benefits independently; all benefits ultimately come from the Supreme Lord. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is Himself above karma.
3
The Lord burns up the accumulated karma of those engaged in His loving service. By surrendering to Him, we can escape karma’s bonds rather than accept its rule as supreme.

Key points from the purport

Even the demigods are bound and limited by the laws of karma.
Only those who have lost their intelligence because of various material desires surrender unto demigods rather than worship the Supreme Lord.
But Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is not subordinate to the law of karma; rather, He can independently offer or withhold His favor.

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· 1

The purport of SB 10.24.17 quotesBG 7.20

The Bhagavad-gītā (7.20) also states, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ. Only those who have lost their intelligence because of various material desires surrender unto demigods rather than worship the Supreme Lord.

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

Attraction and threat → Joy and trust. The pastoral world becomes the setting for protection and love.

Chapters 20–28 of Canto 10: Forest seasons, flute and Govardhana. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 24: Worshiping Govardhana Hill

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Thus it is karma alone that is our enemy, our friend, our guru and our lord, and Indra can do nothing to alter the happiness and distress of anyone, for everyone is tightly bound by his karmic reactions. The material modes of goodness, passion and ignorance bring about the creation, maintenance and destruction of this world.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 10.24

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

dehānmaterial bodies
ucca-avacānhigh- and low-class
jantuḥthe conditioned living entity
prāpyaobtaining
utsṛjatigives up
karmaṇāby the reactions of his material activities
śatruḥhis enemy
mitramfriend

Key ideas in this verse

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

Ūti · The creative impetus
Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10
Sakhya · Sacred friendship
The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 10.24
In this verse: “friend”
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.24
In this verse: “material”
Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment
Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 10.24
In this verse: “give up”

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

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I seeking only better material results, or freedom through loving service to Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Offer one small act of service to Kṛṣṇa today with a conscious wish to surrender to Him.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLoving Service Frees Us from KarmaThis 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 10.24.17? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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