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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 17: Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Description of the Varṇāśrama System
11.17.911.17.11

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.17.10

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.17.9inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

आदौ कृतयुगे वर्णो नृणां हंस इति स्मृत: ।

कृतकृत्या: प्रजा जात्या तस्मात् कृतयुगं विदु: ॥ १० ॥

ādau kṛta-yuge varṇo

nṛṇāṁ haṁsa iti smṛtaḥ

kṛta-kṛtyāḥ prajā jātyā

tasmāt kṛta-yugaṁ viduḥ

Translation

In the beginning, in Satya-yuga, there is only one social class, called haṁsa, to which all human beings belong. In that age all people are unalloyed devotees of the Lord from birth, and thus learned scholars call this first age Kṛta-yuga, or the age in which all religious duties are perfectly fulfilled.

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 Surrender Fulfills All Religious Duties

  1. 1

    In Satya-yuga, all human beings belong to the single social order called haṁsa and are unalloyed devotees from birth. Their direct service to the Lord perfectly fulfills all religious obligations.

  2. 2

    The supreme religious principle is unalloyed surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Genuine social equality requires purity, goodness and unalloyed devotion.

  3. 3

    When the lower modes of nature become prominent, secondary religious principles help people gradually reach pure surrender. The varṇāśrama system naturally arises at creation rather than being a recent invention.

Key points from the purport
  • In Satya-yuga there is no influence of the lower modes of nature, and therefore all human beings belong to the highest social order, called haṁsa, in which one comes under the direct supervision of the Personality of Godhead.
  • In Satya-yuga there are no inferior human beings, and thus there is no need of secondary religious principles.
  • Therefore Satya-yuga is called Kṛta-yuga, or the age of perfect religious action.

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 17: Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Description of the Varṇāśrama System

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

After Uddhava inquires from Śrī Kṛṣṇa about the duties of the social and religious orders of the varṇāśrama society, the Lord replies that in the first age, Satya-yuga, there was only one social order, called haṁsa. In that age men were automatically dedicated to pure devotional service from their very birth, and since everyone was perfect in all respects, the age was called Kṛta-yuga.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.17
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ādauin the beginning (of the millennium)
  2. kṛta-yugein the Satya-yuga, or age of truth
  3. varṇaḥthe social class
  4. nṛṇāmof human beings
  5. haṁsaḥnamed haṁsa
  6. itithus
  7. smṛtaḥwell known
  8. kṛta-kṛtyāḥperfect in the execution of duties by complete surrender to the Supreme Lord
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 11.17

    In this verse: “religious”, “duties”, “principles”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 11.17

    In this verse: “devotees”, “devotion”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 11.17

    In this verse: “surrender”

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 you keep pure surrender to the Lord as the goal of your religious practice?

Practice

Before one act of service today, pause and express your wish to serve the Lord without a selfish motive.

Live this todayPure Surrender Fulfills All Religious DutiesThis 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 11.17.10? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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