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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 11.12.3-6

Who is speaking and story frame

सत्सङ्गेन हि दैतेया यातुधाना मृगा: खगा: ।

गन्धर्वाप्सरसो नागा: सिद्धाश्चारणगुह्यका: ॥ ३ ॥

विद्याधरा मनुष्येषु वैश्या: शूद्रा: स्त्रियोऽन्त्यजा: ।

रजस्तम:प्रकृतयस्तस्मिंस्तस्मिन् युगे युगे ॥ ४ ॥

बहवो मत्पदं प्राप्तास्त्वाष्ट्रकायाधवादय: ।

वृषपर्वा बलिर्बाणो मयश्चाथ विभीषण: ॥ ५ ॥

सुग्रीवो हनुमानृक्षो गजो गृध्रो वणिक्पथ: ।

व्याध: कुब्जा व्रजे गोप्यो यज्ञपत्न्‍यस्तथापरे ॥ ६ ॥

sat-saṅgena hi daiteyā

yātudhānā mṛgāḥ khagāḥ

gandharvāpsaraso nāgāḥ

siddhāś cāraṇa-guhyakāḥ

vidyādharā manuṣyeṣu

vaiśyāḥ śūdrāḥ striyo ’ntya-jāḥ

rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayas

tasmiṁs tasmin yuge yuge

bahavo mat-padaṁ prāptās

tvāṣṭra-kāyādhavādayaḥ

vṛṣaparvā balir bāṇo

mayaś cātha vibhīṣaṇaḥ

sugrīvo hanumān ṛkṣo

gajo gṛdhro vaṇikpathaḥ

vyādhaḥ kubjā vraje gopyo

yajña-patnyas tathāpare

Translation

In every yuga many living entities entangled in the modes of passion and ignorance gained the association of My devotees. Thus, such living entities as the Daityas, Rākṣasas, birds, beasts, Gandharvas, Apsarās, Nāgas, Siddhas, Cāraṇas, Guhyakas and Vidyādharas, as well as such lower-class human beings as the vaiśyas, śūdras, women and others, were able to achieve My supreme abode. Vṛtrāsura, Prahlāda Mahārāja and others like them also achieved My abode by association with My devotees, as did personalities such as Vṛṣaparvā, Bali Mahārāja, Bāṇāsura, Maya, Vibhīṣaṇa, Sugrīva, Hanumān, Jāmbavān, Gajendra, Jaṭāyu, Tulādhāra, Dharma-vyādha, Kubjā, the gopīs in Vṛndāvana and the wives of the brāhmaṇas who were performing sacrifice.

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.

Devotee Association Transforms Lives

  1. 1

    In every age, many beings bound by passion and ignorance attained the Lord’s abode through association with His devotees. Even birds and animals received His mercy.

  2. 2

    Devotees such as the gopīs obtained pure love of Kṛṣṇa, whereas the demons generally obtained salvation. These examples show the enormous benefits of devotee association.

  3. 3

    Many purified demons came to accept devotional service as their most important activity. Exalted devotees such as Prahlāda and Bali Mahārāja accepted devotional service as their very life.

Key points from the purport
  • The Lord has mentioned devotees such as the gopīs in Vṛndāvana and also demons like Bāṇāsura to illustrate how He comes under the control of those who surrender to Him.
  • Bali Mahārāja associated with his grandfather Prahlāda and also with Lord Vāmanadeva.
  • The elephant Gajendra in a previous life had association with devotees, and at the end of his life as Gajendra he was personally saved by the Lord.

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

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 12: Beyond Renunciation and Knowledge

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In every age there are demons, monsters, birds and animals who are in the modes of passion and ignorance, and there are also human beings in the categories of businessmen, women, workers, outcastes, and so on, who cannot study the Vedic scriptures.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.12
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sat-saṅgenaby association with My devotees
  2. hicertainly
  3. daiteyāḥthe sons of Diti
  4. yātudhānāḥdemons
  5. mṛgāḥanimals
  6. khagāḥbirds
  7. gandharvaGandharvas
  8. apsarasaḥthe society girls of heaven
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 11.12

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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.12

    In this verse: “maya”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 11.12

    In this verse: “dharma-vyādha”

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 would change if I treated devotional service as central to my life?

Practice

Arrange a brief conversation with a devotee about Lord Kṛṣṇa.

5

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Live this todayDevotee Association Transforms LivesThis 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 11.12.3-6? Get an answer from the verses themselves.