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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 19: The Perfection of Spiritual Knowledge
11.19.2511.19.27

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.19.26

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.19.11inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

यदर्पितं तद् विकल्पे इन्द्रियै: परिधावति ।

रजस्वलं चासन्निष्ठं चित्तं विद्धि विपर्ययम् ॥ २६ ॥

yad arpitaṁ tad vikalpe

indriyaiḥ paridhāvati

rajas-valaṁ cāsan-niṣṭhaṁ

cittaṁ viddhi viparyayam

Translation

When consciousness is fixed on the material body, home and other, similar objects of sense gratification, one spends one’s life chasing after material objects with the help of the senses. Consciousness, thus powerfully affected by the mode of passion, becomes dedicated to impermanent things, and in this way irreligion, ignorance, attachment and wretchedness arise.

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.

Material Fixation Brings Misfortune

  1. 1

    When consciousness is fixed on the body, home and objects of sense gratification, life becomes a chase after material objects. Passion dedicates the mind to things that cannot last.

  2. 2

    Passion can grow so strong that one commits sinful activities and reaps many kinds of misfortune. Irreligion, ignorance, attachment and wretchedness arise from this material fixation.

  3. 3

    Materialistic people may be blind to their impending suffering, but scripture, observation, traditional wisdom and reasoning confirm the disastrous results of violating God’s laws. This is the opposite of the auspicious results of fixing the mind in Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Key points from the purport
  • In the previous verse Lord Kṛṣṇa explained the auspicious results of fixing the mind in Him, and now the opposite is explained.
  • Rajas-valam indicates that one’s passion grows so strong that one commits sinful activities and reaps all types of misfortune.
  • Although materialistic people are blind to their impending wretchedness, one can confirm by all types of evidence — namely Vedic injunctions, direct observation, traditional wisdom and inductive logic — that the result of violating the laws of God is disastrous.

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 19: The Perfection of Spiritual Knowledge

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

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. Following this, after being asked about yama and the other practices of yoga, the Lord enumerated the twelve kinds of yama beginning with nonviolence, and the twelve kinds of niyama, beginning with bodily cleanliness.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.19
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yatwhen
  2. arpitamfixed
  3. tatthis (consciousness)
  4. vikalpein material variety (the body, home, family, etc.)
  5. indriyaiḥwith the senses
  6. paridhāvatichasing all around
  7. rajaḥ-valamstrengthened by the mode of passion
  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 11.19

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

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 11.19

    In this verse: “sinful”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 11.19

    In this verse: “wisdom”

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 temporary object is drawing my mind into a restless chase?

Practice

Pause one unnecessary pursuit of sense gratification today and turn your attention to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Live this todayMaterial Fixation Brings MisfortuneThis 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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