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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
11.17.1911.17.21

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.17.20

Ūti· What drives us to act
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

अशौचमनृतं स्तेयं नास्तिक्यं शुष्कविग्रह: ।

काम: क्रोधश्च तर्षश्च स भावोऽन्त्यावसायिनाम् ॥ २० ॥

aśaucam anṛtaṁ steyaṁ

nāstikyaṁ śuṣka-vigrahaḥ

kāmaḥ krodhaś ca tarṣaś ca

sa bhāvo ’ntyāvasāyinām

Translation

Dirtiness, dishonesty, thievery, faithlessness, useless quarrel, lust, anger and hankering constitute the nature of those in the lowest position outside the varṇāśrama system.

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.

Recognizing Habits That Degrade Life

  1. 1

    Lord Kṛṣṇa describes dirtiness, dishonesty, thievery, faithlessness and useless quarrel as characteristics of those in the lowest position outside varṇāśrama.

  2. 2

    The purport connects weak faith with lack of confidence in God’s kingdom and one’s eternal nature. It connects neglect of Kṛṣṇa consciousness with quarrels over insignificant bodily concerns.

  3. 3

    Lust, anger and hankering become practically unlimited in Kali-yuga. The purport warns that animal killing, illicit sex, intoxication and gambling degrade human life.

Key points from the purport
  • Here the Lord describes those who reside outside the scientific social system called varṇāśrama.
  • People are not confident of the kingdom of God nor of their own eternal nature, and thus their faith is very weak.
  • The symptoms and characteristics mentioned here can be abundantly observed throughout the world, wherever people have fallen away from the varṇāśrama system.

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 this description, Lord Kṛṣṇa explains the natures of persons in each of the four varṇas and of those who are outside the limits of the varṇas. He also describes those qualities that pertain to humanity in general.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.17
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. aśaucamdirtiness
  2. anṛtamdishonesty
  3. steyamthievery
  4. nāstikyamfaithlessness
  5. śuṣka-vigrahaḥuseless quarreling
  6. kāmaḥlust
  7. krodhaḥanger
  8. caalso
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.17

    In this verse: “lust”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

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

    In this verse: “varṇāśrama”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 11.17

    In this verse: “kingdom”

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 allowing an insignificant bodily concern to draw me into useless quarrel?

Practice

Decline one unnecessary argument today rather than feeding anger.

Live this todayRecognizing Habits That Degrade LifeThis 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 11.17.20? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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