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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 16: The Lord’s Opulence
11.16.3211.16.34

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.16.33

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.16.6inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

विश्वावसु: पूर्वचित्तिर्गन्धर्वाप्सरसामहम् ।

भूधराणामहं स्थैर्यं गन्धमात्रमहं भुव: ॥ ३३ ॥

viśvāvasuḥ pūrvacittir

gandharvāpsarasām aham

bhūdharāṇām ahaṁ sthairyaṁ

gandha-mātram ahaṁ bhuvaḥ

Translation

Among the Gandharvas I am Viśvāvasu, and I am Pūrvacitti among the heavenly Apsaras. I am the steadiness of mountains and the fragrant aroma of the earth.

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.

Remembering Kṛṣṇa Through Earth’s Fragrance

  1. 1

    The Lord is Viśvāvasu among the Gandharvas and Pūrvacitti among the heavenly Apsaras.

  2. 2

    He is the steadiness of mountains and the fragrant aroma of the earth.

  3. 3

    The earth’s original, pleasing fragrance represents Lord Kṛṣṇa. Artificially produced unpleasant aromas do not represent Him.

Key points from the purport
  • In Bhagavad-gītā (7.9) Lord Kṛṣṇa says, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca: “I am the fragrance of the earth.”
  • The original fragrance of the earth is very pleasing and represents Lord Kṛṣṇa.
  • Although unpleasant aromas may be artificially produced, they do not represent the Lord.

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· 1

The purport of SB 11.16.33 quotesBG 7.9

In Bhagavad-gītā (7.9) Lord Kṛṣṇa says, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca: “I am the fragrance of the earth.”

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 16: The Lord’s Opulence

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

After offering such prayers at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Uddhava revealed his desire to know about the Lord’s various opulences in heaven, on earth, in hell and in all directions. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa then described all these opulences, after which He commented that all power, beauty, fame, opulence, humility, charity, charm, good fortune, valor, tolerance and wisdom — wherever they are manifest — are simply expansions from Himself.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.16
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. viśvāvasuḥViśvāvasu
  2. pūrvacittiḥPūrvacitti
  3. gandharva-apsarasāmamong the Gandharvas and Apsarās
  4. ahamI am
  5. bhūdharāṇāmof the mountains
  6. ahamI am
  7. sthairyamthe steadiness
  8. gandha-mātramthe perception of aroma
  9. ahamI am
  10. bhuvaḥof the earth
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

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

How can the earth’s pleasing fragrance remind me of Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

If you notice the pleasing fragrance of earth today, pause and remember Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Live this todayRemembering Kṛṣṇa Through Earth’s FragranceThis 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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