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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 14: Lord Kṛṣṇa Explains the Yoga System to Śrī Uddhava
11.14.1911.14.21

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.14.20

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.14.3inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

न साधयति मां योगो न साङ्ख्यं धर्म उद्धव ।

न स्वाध्यायस्तपस्त्यागो यथा भक्तिर्ममोर्जिता ॥ २० ॥

na sādhayati māṁ yogo

na sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava

na svādhyāyas tapas tyāgo

yathā bhaktir mamorjitā

Translation

My dear Uddhava, the unalloyed devotional service rendered to Me by My devotees brings Me under their control. I cannot be thus controlled by those engaged in mystic yoga, Sāṅkhya philosophy, pious work, Vedic study, austerity or renunciation.

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.

Pure Loving Service Wins Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Strong, unalloyed devotional service brings Kṛṣṇa under His devotees’ control. Mystic yoga, Sāṅkhya philosophy, pious work, study, austerity and renunciation cannot do so in the same way.

  2. 2

    Direct loving service pleases the Lord more than these other practices, even when they aim toward Him. Such service includes hearing and chanting about Him and carrying out His mission.

  3. 3

    A devotee should simply depend on Kṛṣṇa, without unnecessarily complicating service through desires for material results or mental speculation.

Key points from the purport
  • One may make Kṛṣṇa the goal of mystic yoga, Sāṅkhya philosophy, etc.; yet such activities do not please the Lord as much as direct loving service, which one practices by hearing and chanting about the Lord and executing His mission.
  • The residents of Vṛndāvana simply depend on Lord Kṛṣṇa.
  • Such pure love for Kṛṣṇa brings the Lord under the control of the devotee.

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· 3

Quoted in the purport ofCC Ādi 17.76

Nor do they have faith in approaching Him by discharging devotional service, although everywhere such service is repeatedly emphasized, as it is in this verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.20).

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 20.137

This and the following verse are quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.20-21).

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 25.137

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.20).

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 14: Lord Kṛṣṇa Explains the Yoga System to Śrī Uddhava

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Because the living entity, bewildered by illusion, is incapable of ascertaining his eternal benefit, he mistakenly identifies ordinary vows of penance, austerity, etc., to be the topmost spiritual practice. But the only true means of achieving happiness is to meditate on offering everything to the Supreme Lord.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.14
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nanot
  2. sādhayatibrings under control
  3. māmMe
  4. yogaḥthe yoga system
  5. nanor
  6. sāṅkhyamthe system of Sāṅkhya philosophy
  7. dharmaḥpious activities within the varṇāśrama system
  8. uddhavaMy dear Uddhava
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 11.14

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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 11.14

    In this verse: “philosophy”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 11.14

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”

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

Am I making loving service complicated instead of simply depending on Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Set aside five minutes to hear or chant about Kṛṣṇa, with the intention of pleasing Him.

5

Connected stories

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

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 11.14's connections

Live this todayPure Loving Service Wins 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 11.14.20? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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