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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 10.87.22

Who is speaking and story frame

त्वदनुपथं कुलायमिदमात्मसुहृत्प्रियव-

च्चरति तथोन्मुखे त्वयि हिते प्रिय आत्मनि च ।

न बत रमन्त्यहो असदुपासनयात्महनो

यदनुशया भ्रमन्त्युरुभये कुशरीरभृत: ॥ २२ ॥

tvad-anupathaṁ kulāyam idam ātma-suhṛt-priya-vac

carati tathonmukhe tvayi hite priya ātmani ca

na bata ramanty aho asad-upāsanayātma-hano

yad-anuśayā bhramanty uru-bhaye ku-śarīra-bhṛtaḥ

Translation

When this human body is used for Your devotional service, it acts as one’s self, friend and beloved. But unfortunately, although You always show mercy to the conditioned souls and affectionately help them in every way, and although You are their true Self, people in general fail to delight in You. Instead they commit spiritual suicide by worshiping illusion. Alas, because they persistently hope for success in their devotion to the unreal, they continue to wander about this greatly fearful world, assuming various degraded bodies.

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.

Make the Human Body Your Spiritual Friend

  1. 1

    The human body is an ideal facility for reviving spiritual consciousness. Its ears, tongue and eyes can be used to hear about the Lord, chant His glories and worship Him.

  2. 2

    Although the body lasts only a short time, it can become one’s best friend when used in devotional service. In material consciousness, it becomes a false friend that distracts one from true self-interest.

  3. 3

    The Supreme Lord is our greatest well-wisher, yet attachment to the impermanent keeps us wandering in material existence. Hearing the merciful instructions of His devotees offers hope of deliverance and a return to loving service.

Key points from the purport
  • The human body is the ideal facility for reviving one’s spiritual consciousness; its organs — ears, tongue, eyes and so on — are quite suitable for hearing about the Lord, chanting His glories, worshiping Him and performing all the other essential aspects of devotional service.
  • When one is immersed in material consciousness, however, the body becomes a false friend, distracting the bewildered living entity from his true self-interest.
  • In this way, as the śrutis state here, such people commit spiritual suicide, insuring future punishment for failing to carry out the higher responsibilities of human 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.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 10.87.22 quotesBG 9.4

The Supreme Lord pervades this universe, as He says in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.4), mayā tataṁ idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat.

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

Awe → Reverent fulfillment. The canto closes with theological wonder.

Chapters 87–90 of Canto 10: The Vedas praise and the Lord's glories conclude. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 87: The Prayers of the Personified Vedas

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In reply, Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi related an account of how this very question had been discussed long ago among the great sages living on Janaloka. Once these sages, feeling inquisitive about the nature of the Absolute Truth, chose Sanandana Kumāra to speak on the subject.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.87
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tvatYou
  2. anupathamuseful for serving
  3. kulāyambody
  4. idamthis
  5. ātmaself
  6. suhṛtfriend
  7. priyaand beloved
  8. vatas
3

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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 10.87

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “worshiping”, “devotees”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.87

    In this verse: “illusion”, “attachment”, “material”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 10.87

    In this verse: “mercy”, “merciful”

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

When does caring for my body support devotional service, and when does bodily attachment distract me from it?

Practice

Use your tongue today to speak one sentence glorifying the Supreme Lord, remembering that this is a proper use of the human body.

Live this todayMake the Human Body Your Spiritual FriendThis 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 10.87.22? Get an answer from the verses themselves.