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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
11.13.1711.13.19

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.13.18

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.13.18inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → UddhavaLord Haṁsa → the Kumāras

श्रीभगवानुवाच

एवं पृष्टो महादेव: स्वयम्भूर्भूतभावन: ।

ध्यायमान: प्रश्न‍बीजं नाभ्यपद्यत कर्मधी: ॥ १८ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

evaṁ pṛṣṭo mahā-devaḥ

svayambhūr bhūta-bhāvanaḥ

dhyāyamānaḥ praśna-bījaṁ

nābhyapadyata karma-dhīḥ

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, Brahmā himself, who is born directly from the body of the Lord and who is the creator of all living entities within the material world, being the best of the demigods, seriously contemplated the question of his sons headed by Sanaka. The intelligence of Brahmā, however, was affected by his own activities of creation, and thus he could not discover the essential answer to this question.

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.

Guard Devotional Service Against False Pride

  1. 1

    Brahmā seriously considered his sons' question, but his intelligence was affected by his activities of creation, and he could not find the essential answer.

  2. 2

    Lord Kṛṣṇa had blessed Brahmā with realized knowledge and instructed him to follow His injunctions carefully. Brahmā had also affirmed his zealous shelter at the feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  3. 3

    Brahmā's bewilderment gives a grave lesson to the Lord's empowered representatives. Even an exalted position in devotional service does not remove the danger of false pride.

Key points from the purport
  • In the Ninth Chapter, verse 32, Lord Kṛṣṇa blessed Brahmā with realized knowledge of the Lord’s actual form, qualities and activities.
  • In the Ninth Chapter, verse 37, the Lord ordered Brahmā to rigidly carry out the Lord’s injunctions and affirmed that Brahmā would thus never be bewildered in his cosmic decision-making.
  • In the present verse in this Thirteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Canto, Lord Kṛṣṇa states that Brahmā unfortunately did become bewildered by his creative functions, thus providing a grave lesson to all of the Lord’s empowered representatives.

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. śrī-bhagavān uvācathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said
  2. evamthus
  3. pṛṣṭaḥquestioned
  4. mahā-devaḥthe great god Brahmā
  5. svayam-bhūḥwithout material birth (born directly from the body of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu)
  6. bhūtaof all conditioned souls
  7. bhāvanaḥthe creator (of their conditioned life)
  8. dhyāyamānaḥseriously considering
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “material”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 11.13

    In this verse: “devotional service”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 11.13

    In this verse: “knowledge”

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 you do something well in service, how do you guard against false pride?

Practice

Before one act of devotional service today, pause and check whether pride is entering your attitude.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayGuard Devotional Service Against False PrideThis 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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