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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 15: Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Description of Mystic Yoga Perfections
11.15.2011.15.22

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.15.21

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.15.3inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

मनो मयि सुसंयोज्य देहं तदनुवायुना ।

मद्धारणानुभावेन तत्रात्मा यत्र वै मन: ॥ २१ ॥

mano mayi su-saṁyojya

dehaṁ tad-anuvāyunā

mad-dhāraṇānubhāvena

tatrātmā yatra vai manaḥ

Translation

The yogī who completely absorbs his mind in Me, and who then makes use of the wind that follows the mind to absorb the material body in Me, obtains through the potency of meditation on Me the mystic perfection by which his body immediately follows his mind wherever it goes.

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.

The Body Follows the Absorbed Mind

  1. 1

    The yogī completely absorbs his mind in Kṛṣṇa. Through meditation, he also absorbs the body and the subtle air that follows the mind in the Lord.

  2. 2

    By the potency of this meditation, the gross material body can follow the mind anywhere, just like the subtle air.

  3. 3

    This perfection is called mano-javaḥ. Its power comes through meditation on the Lord.

Key points from the purport
  • Tad-anuvāyunā indicates the particular subtle air that follows the mind.
  • When the yogī merges this air together with the body and mind in Kṛṣṇa by the potency of meditation on the Lord, his gross material body, like the subtle air, can follow the mind anywhere.

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 15: Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Description of Mystic Yoga Perfections

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Being questioned by Uddhava, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa describes the characteristics of the eighteen mystic perfections and the particular kind of meditation by which each is achieved. In conclusion, Kṛṣṇa states that for one who desires to perform pure devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, the achievement of these mystic perfections is a waste of time, because they distract one from proper worship.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.15
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. manaḥthe mind
  2. mayiin Me
  3. su-saṁyojyacompletely absorbing
  4. dehamthe material body
  5. tatthe mind
  6. anu-vāyunāby the wind that follows
  7. mat-dhāraṇāof meditation in Me
  8. anubhāvenaby the potency
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 11.15

    In this verse: “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

What does this verse emphasize about the importance of absorbing the mind in Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Set aside one quiet minute to direct your attention toward Kṛṣṇa, gently returning to Him when your mind wanders.

Live this todayThe Body Follows the Absorbed MindThis 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 11.15.21? Get an answer from the verses themselves.