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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 11.19.20-24

Who is speaking and story frame

श्रद्धामृतकथायां मे शश्वन्मदनुकीर्तनम् ।

परिनिष्ठा च पूजायां स्तुतिभि: स्तवनं मम ॥ २० ॥

आदर: परिचर्यायां सर्वाङ्गैरभिवन्दनम् ।

मद्भ‍क्तपूजाभ्यधिका सर्वभूतेषु मन्मति: ॥ २१ ॥

मदर्थेष्वङ्गचेष्टा च वचसा मद्गुणेरणम् ।

मय्यर्पणं च मनस: सर्वकामविवर्जनम् ॥ २२ ॥

मदर्थेऽर्थपरित्यागो भोगस्य च सुखस्य च ।

इष्टं दत्तं हुतं जप्तं मदर्थं यद् व्रतं तप: ॥ २३ ॥

एवं धर्मैर्मनुष्याणामुद्धवात्मनिवेदिनाम् ।

मयि सञ्जायते भक्ति: कोऽन्योऽर्थोऽस्यावशिष्यते ॥ २४ ॥

śraddhāmṛta-kathāyāṁ me

śaśvan mad-anukīrtanam

pariniṣṭhā ca pūjāyāṁ

stutibhiḥ stavanaṁ mama

ādaraḥ paricaryāyāṁ

sarvāṅgair abhivandanam

mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā

sarva-bhūteṣu man-matiḥ

mad-artheṣv aṅga-ceṣṭā ca

vacasā mad-guṇeraṇam

mayy arpaṇaṁ ca manasaḥ

sarva-kāma-vivarjanam

mad-arthe ’rtha-parityāgo

bhogasya ca sukhasya ca

iṣṭaṁ dattaṁ hutaṁ japtaṁ

mad-arthaṁ yad vrataṁ tapaḥ

evaṁ dharmair manuṣyāṇām

uddhavātma-nivedinām

mayi sañjāyate bhaktiḥ

ko ’nyo ’rtho ’syāvaśiṣyate

Translation

Firm faith in the blissful narrations of My pastimes, constant chanting of My glories, unwavering attachment to ceremonial worship of Me, praising Me through beautiful hymns, great respect for My devotional service, offering obeisances with the entire body, performing first-class worship of My devotees, consciousness of Me in all living entities, offering of ordinary, bodily activities in My devotional service, use of words to describe My qualities, offering the mind to Me, rejection of all material desires, giving up wealth for My devotional service, renouncing material sense gratification and happiness, and performing all desirable activities such as charity, sacrifice, chanting, vows and austerities with the purpose of achieving Me — these constitute actual religious principles, by which those human beings who have actually surrendered themselves to Me automatically develop love for Me. What other purpose or goal could remain for My devotee?

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.

Offer Your Life in Devotional Service

  1. 1

    Faith in the Lord’s pastimes, chanting His glories and worship offered in surrender develop love for Him. What further goal could remain for His devotee?

  2. 2

    The Lord is extremely satisfied when His pure devotees are worshiped. Because He values them so generously, their worship is described as superior to worship of the Lord Himself.

  3. 3

    Ordinary bodily activities should be offered to the Supreme Lord as devotional service, and words should describe His glories. Money should support His service, the spiritual master’s mission and other Vaiṣṇavas.

Key points from the purport
  • The words mad-artheṣv aṅga-ceṣṭā state that ordinary, bodily activities such as brushing the teeth, taking bath, eating, etc., should all be offered to the Supreme Lord as devotional service.
  • The words vacasā mad-guṇeraṇam indicate that whether one speaks in ordinary, crude language or with learned poetic eloquence, one should describe the glories of the Personality of Godhead.
  • The words dattaṁ hutam indicate that one should offer to brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas first-class foods cooked in ghee.

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· 5

Quoted in the purport ofSB 6.3.24

In this regard Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura quotes the following verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.19.24): “My dear Uddhava, the supreme religious system for human society is that by which one can awaken his dormant love for Me.”

Quoted in the purport ofSB 7.9.42

Mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā. The Lord says, “Engaging in the service of My devotee is better than trying to engage in My devotional service.”

Quoted in the purport ofSB 10.5.15-16

Mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā. The Lord says, “Worshiping My devotees is better than worshiping Me directly.”

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 5.23

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.19.21) Kṛṣṇa says, mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā: “It is better to render service to My devotee.”

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 11.29-30

These two verses are quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.19.21-22).

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 19: The Perfection of Spiritual Knowledge

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Transcendental knowledge is greater than such ordinary pious activities as chanting of mantras, but pure devotional service is greater than even knowledge.” After this, Lord Kṛṣṇa, requested by Śrī Uddhava to describe in full detail pure transcendental knowledge and devotional service, related the same instructions that the greatest of Vaiṣṇavas, Bhīṣmadeva, gave on these topics to Śrī Yudhiṣṭhira on the occasion of the battle at Kurukṣetra.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.19
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śraddhāfaith
  2. amṛtain the nectar
  3. kathāyāmof narrations
  4. meabout Me
  5. śaśvatalways
  6. matof Me
  7. anukīrtanamchanting the glories
  8. pariniṣṭhāfixed in attachment
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 11.19

    In this verse: “attachment”, “sense gratification”, “wealth”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 11.19

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotees”, “worship”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 11.19

    In this verse: “chanting”, “narrations”

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

Which ordinary part of my day could I consciously offer in the Lord’s service?

Practice

Before taking your next bath, consciously offer that bodily activity as service to the Supreme Lord.

Live this todayOffer Your Life in Devotional ServiceThis 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 11.19.20-24? Get an answer from the verses themselves.