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

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Canto 11 · General History · 31 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 11 · Chapter 10: The Nature of Fruitive Activity
11.10.311.10.5

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.10.4

Mukti· Liberation
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

निवृत्तं कर्म सेवेत प्रवृत्तं मत्परस्त्यजेत् ।

जिज्ञासायां सम्प्रवृत्तो नाद्रियेत् कर्मचोदनाम् ॥ ४ ॥

nivṛttaṁ karma seveta

pravṛttaṁ mat-paras tyajet

jijñāsāyāṁ sampravṛtto

nādriyet karma-codanām

Translation

One who has fixed Me within his mind as the goal of life should give up activities based on sense gratification and should instead execute work governed by the regulative principles for advancement. When, however, one is fully engaged in searching out the ultimate truth of the soul, one should not accept the scriptural injunctions governing fruitive activities.

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.

Progress Toward Service Without Selfish Motives

  1. 1

    One who accepts Kṛṣṇa as the goal should give up activities based on sense gratification and follow duties that support spiritual advancement. This process gradually leads to complete absorption in loving service.

  2. 2

    In the beginning, one offers the fruits of work to the Lord. At the advanced stage, the impulse to work for personal rewards disappears, and one serves Him without selfish motives.

  3. 3

    Fully spiritual consciousness seeks the Lord’s pleasure rather than personal enjoyment. Even eating is done moderately, with food first offered for the Deity’s pleasure, to keep the body fit for serving Kṛṣṇa.

Key points from the purport
  • A person is said to have attained to yoga when, having renounced all material desires, he neither acts for sense gratification nor engages in fruitive activities.”
  • However, one who is fully absorbed in spiritual advancement will ultimately give up all sense gratification derived from sexual association, either regulated or illicit.
  • For example, a renounced sannyāsī preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or even a renounced householder preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is not required to execute all of the injunctions governing sense gratification in family 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 11.10.4 quotesBG 6.3

In Bhagavad-gītā (6.3-4) it is stated:

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. nivṛttamregulative duties
  2. karmasuch work
  3. sevetaone should perform
  4. pravṛttamactivities for sense gratification
  5. mat-paraḥone who is dedicated to Me
  6. tyajetshould give up
  7. jijñāsāyāmin searching for spiritual truth
  8. sampravṛttaḥbeing perfectly engaged
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 11.10

    In this verse: “principles”, “duties”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 11.10

    In this verse: “give up”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “sense gratification”

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

In your service, are you mainly seeking your own satisfaction or the Lord’s pleasure?

Practice

Before one act of devotional service today, pause and consciously make pleasing Kṛṣṇa your purpose rather than gaining a personal reward.

Live this todayProgress Toward Service Without Selfish MotivesThis 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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