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 11 · General History · 31 chapters

12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031

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 11 · Chapter 10: The Nature of Fruitive Activity
11.10.211.10.4

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.10.3

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.10.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

सुप्तस्य विषयालोको ध्यायतो वा मनोरथ: ।

नानात्मकत्वाद् विफलस्तथा भेदात्मधीर्गुणै: ॥ ३ ॥

suptasya viṣayāloko

dhyāyato vā manorathaḥ

nānātmakatvād viphalas

tathā bhedātma-dhīr guṇaiḥ

Translation

One who is sleeping may see many objects of sense gratification in a dream, but such pleasurable things are merely creations of the mind and are thus ultimately useless. Similarly, the living entity who is asleep to his spiritual identity also sees many sense objects, but these innumerable objects of temporary gratification are creations of the Lord’s illusory potency and have no permanent existence. One who meditates upon them, impelled by the senses, uselessly engages his intelligence.

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.

Fix Your Intelligence on Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Temporary sense pleasures are compared to objects seen in a dream. Whether one obtains the fruits of material work or not, they cannot award the highest perfection, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

  2. 2

    Intelligence driven by the senses becomes divided among countless material pursuits. Such intelligence separates us from our real self-interest and cannot understand Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead.

  3. 3

    Devotees fix their intelligence on Kṛṣṇa by meditating on His form, qualities, pastimes and devotees. Hearing from a bona fide spiritual master whose intelligence is pure brings one toward this perfection.

Key points from the purport
  • The material intelligence, impelled by the senses, strongly desires sense gratification.
  • The material intelligence will always devise novel means of achieving happiness, and therefore one bounces from one fruitless program of sense gratification to another, ignoring the simple fact that all material things are temporary and will disappear.
  • One should hear from the bona fide spiritual master whose intelligence is pure, and then one will come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the highest perfection of life.

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 11.10.3 quotesBG 2.41

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (2.41): “Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one.

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

Uncertainty → Clarity. The coming separation makes the instruction personally urgent.

Chapters 10–20 of Canto 11: Kṛṣṇa's teachings on self, yoga and wisdom. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 10: The Nature of Fruitive Activity

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The so-called knowledge received through one’s material senses, mind and intelligence is as useless as the dreams experienced by a sleeping person attached to sense gratification. Therefore, one should give up work performed for sense gratification and accept work as a matter of duty.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.10
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. suptasyaof one who is sleeping
  2. viṣayasense gratification
  3. ālokaḥseeing
  4. dhyāyataḥof one who is meditating
  5. vāor
  6. manaḥ-rathaḥmerely a creation of the mind
  7. nānāa large variety
  8. ātmakatvātdue to having the nature of
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.10

    In this verse: “sense gratification”, “material”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 11.10

    In this verse: “devotees”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 11.10

    In this verse: “understand”

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

What most often divides your attention and draws it away from Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Set aside two quiet minutes today to meditate on a quality of Kṛṣṇa you have learned about.

Live this todayFix Your Intelligence on KṛṣṇaThis 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 11.10.3? 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