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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 13: The Haṁsa-avatāra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmā
11.13.1611.13.18

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.13.17

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The sages headed by Sanakasince 11.13.17inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → UddhavaLord Haṁsa → the Kumāras

सनकादय ऊचु:

गुणेष्वाविशते चेतो गुणाश्चेतसि च प्रभो ।

कथमन्योन्यसन्त्यागो मुमुक्षोरतितितीर्षो: ॥ १७ ॥

sanakādaya ūcuḥ

guṇeṣv āviśate ceto

guṇāś cetasi ca prabho

katham anyonya-santyāgo

mumukṣor atititīrṣoḥ

Translation

The sages headed by Sanaka said: O Lord, people’s minds are naturally attracted to material sense objects, and similarly the sense objects in the form of desire enter within the mind. Therefore, how can a person who desires liberation, who desires to cross over activities of sense gratification, destroy this mutual relationship between the sense objects and the mind? Please explain this to us.

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.

Recognize the Bond Between Mind and Objects

  1. 1

    The mind is naturally attracted to material sense objects, and those objects enter the mind in the form of desire.

  2. 2

    The sages ask how someone seeking liberation can break this mutual relationship and cross beyond sense gratification.

  3. 3

    For the conditioned soul, the modes of material nature constantly disturb the mind through sense objects. This disturbance deprives one of life's actual perfection.

Key points from the purport
  • As described above, as long as one is a conditioned soul the modes of material nature, manifested in the form of sense objects, constantly disturb the mind, and by their harassment one is deprived of the actual 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.

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 13: The Haṁsa-avatāra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmā

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Yet even Brahmā is always suffering agitation of the mind on account of the duties he has to perform; therefore, when he was questioned by his sons headed by Sanaka, who were born from his mind, about the means for driving away desires for sense gratification, he was incapable of giving them an answer.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.13
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sanaka-ādayaḥ ūcuḥthe sages headed by Sanaka said
  2. guṇeṣuin the sense objects
  3. āviśatedirectly enters
  4. cetaḥthe mind
  5. guṇāḥthe sense objects
  6. cetasiwithin the mind
  7. caalso (enter)
  8. prabhoO Lord
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.13

    In this verse: “sense gratification”, “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

Which sense object most often returns to your mind as a persistent desire?

Practice

Notice one recurring material desire today and briefly write down how it disturbs your mind.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRecognize the Bond Between Mind and ObjectsThis 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 11.13.17? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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