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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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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 16: The Lord’s Opulence
11.16.211.16.4

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.16.3

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Uddhavasince 11.16.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

येषु येषु च भूतेषु भक्त्या त्वां परमर्षय: ।

उपासीना: प्रपद्यन्ते संसिद्धिं तद् वदस्व मे ॥ ३ ॥

yeṣu yeṣu ca bhūteṣu

bhaktyā tvāṁ paramarṣayaḥ

upāsīnāḥ prapadyante

saṁsiddhiṁ tad vadasva me

Translation

Please tell me of the perfections that great sages achieve by worshiping You with devotion. Also, kindly explain which of Your different forms they worship.

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.

Perfection Through Devotional Worship

  1. 1

    Uddhava asks about the perfections great sages achieve by worshiping the Lord with devotion.

  2. 2

    The Lord’s spiritual opulences consist primarily of His viṣṇu-tattva expansions, such as Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha.

  3. 3

    Worshiping different plenary expansions of the Lord brings particular perfections. Uddhava wishes to understand these forms and the results of worshiping Them.

Key points from the purport
  • Śrī Uddhava here inquires about the spiritual opulences of the Lord, which consist primarily of His viṣṇu-tattva expansions such as Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha.
  • By worshiping different plenary expansions of the Lord one achieves particular perfections, and Śrī Uddhava wants to know about this.

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 16: The Lord’s Opulence

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In this chapter the Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, describes His manifest opulences in terms of His specific potencies of knowledge, strength, influence, and so on. Śrī Uddhava offered glorification to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and ultimate shelter of all holy places, saying, “The Supreme Lord has no beginning and no end.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.16
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yeṣu yeṣuin which various
  2. caalso
  3. bhūteṣuforms
  4. bhaktyāwith devotion
  5. tvāmYou
  6. parama-ṛṣayaḥthe great sages
  7. upāsīnāḥworshiping
  8. prapadyanteachieve
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 11.16

    In this verse: “devotion”, “worshiping”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 11.16

    In this verse: “kindly”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 11.16

    In this verse: “understand”

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 you like to understand more clearly about devotional worship of the Lord?

Practice

Write down one sincere question about the Lord’s forms and their devotional worship.

Live this todayPerfection Through Devotional WorshipThis 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 11.16.3? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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