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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 ›
Canto 10 · Chapter 51: The Deliverance of Mucukunda
10.51.5510.51.57

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.51.56

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śrī Mucukundasince 10.51.45inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तस्माद्विसृज्याशिष ईश सर्वतो

रजस्तम:सत्त्वगुणानुबन्धना: ।

निरञ्जनं निर्गुणमद्वयं परं

त्वां ज्ञाप्तिमात्रं पुरुषं व्रजाम्यहम् ॥ ५६ ॥

tasmād visṛjyāśiṣa īśa sarvato

rajas-tamaḥ-sattva-guṇānubandhanāḥ

nirañjanaṁ nirguṇam advayaṁ paraṁ

tvāṁ jñāpti-mātraṁ puruṣaṁ vrajāmy aham

Translation

Therefore, O Lord, having put aside all objects of material desire, which are bound to the modes of passion, ignorance and goodness, I am approaching You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for shelter. You are not covered by mundane designations; rather, You are the Supreme Absolute Truth, full in pure knowledge and transcendental to the material modes.

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.

Take Shelter Beyond the Material Modes

  1. 1

    Putting aside material desires bound to passion, ignorance, and goodness, the speaker approaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead for shelter.

  2. 2

    The word nirguṇam indicates that the Lord exists beyond the qualities of material nature. He is the Supreme Absolute Truth, full in pure knowledge.

  3. 3

    There is no duality in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s existence. His eternal, spiritual body is Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is God.

Key points from the purport
  • The word nirguṇam here indicates that the Lord’s existence is beyond the qualities of material nature.
  • One might argue that Lord Kṛṣṇa’s body is made of material nature, but here the word advayam refutes that argument.
  • There is no duality in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s existence.

The purport'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

Yearning and danger → Marriage and reciprocity. A wider range of divine relationships appears.

Chapters 50–59 of Canto 10: Dvārakā, Rukmiṇī and royal rescues. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 51: The Deliverance of Mucukunda

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Pleased at this request, the Lord said to Mucukunda, “My devotees are never enticed by material benedictions offered to them; only nondevotees, namely yogīs and speculative philosophers, are interested in material benedictions, having mundane desires in their hearts. My dear Mucukunda, you will have perpetual devotion for Me.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.51
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tasmāttherefore
  2. visṛjyaputting aside
  3. āśiṣaḥdesirable objects
  4. īśaO Lord
  5. sarvataḥentirely
  6. rajaḥwith passion
  7. tamaḥignorance
  8. sattvaand goodness
3

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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 10.51

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

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 10.51

    In this verse: “shelter”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.51

    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

How does knowing that Kṛṣṇa is beyond material nature deepen my trust in His shelter?

Practice

Pause today to pray for Kṛṣṇa’s shelter while consciously setting aside one material request.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayTake Shelter Beyond the Material ModesThis 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.

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