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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
11.19.2611.19.28-32

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.19.27

Mukti· Liberation
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

धर्मो मद्भ‍‍क्तिकृत् प्रोक्तो ज्ञानं चैकात्म्यदर्शनम् ।

गुणेष्वसङ्गो वैराग्यमैश्वर्यं चाणिमादय: ॥ २७ ॥

dharmo mad-bhakti-kṛt prokto

jñānaṁ caikātmya-darśanam

guṇesv asaṅgo vairāgyam

aiśvaryaṁ cāṇimādayaḥ

Translation

Actual religious principles are stated to be those that lead one to My devotional service. Real knowledge is the awareness that reveals My all-pervading presence. Detachment is complete disinterest in the objects of material sense gratification, and opulence is the eight mystic perfections, such as aṇimā-siddhi.

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.

Real Religion Leads to Devotional Service

  1. 1

    Actual religious principles lead to the Lord’s devotional service. Since the Supreme Lord is perfect knowledge, one delivered from ignorance naturally engages in serving Him.

  2. 2

    Real knowledge reveals the Lord’s all-pervading presence. Detachment means freedom from the three modes of material nature and the objects of sense gratification they produce.

  3. 3

    The eight mystic yoga perfections constitute material power in its highest degree. This opulence is distinct from the devotional service that defines actual religion.

Key points from the purport
  • The Supreme Lord is perfect knowledge; thus one who has been delivered from ignorance automatically engages in the devotional service of the Lord and is called religious.
  • One who becomes detached from the three modes of material nature and the gratificatory objects they produce is considered to be situated in detachment.
  • The eight mystic yoga perfections, described previously by the Lord to Uddhava, constitute material power, or opulence, in the highest degree.

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. dharmaḥreligion
  2. matMy
  3. bhaktidevotional service
  4. kṛtproducing
  5. proktaḥit is declared
  6. jñānamknowledge
  7. caalso
  8. aikātmyathe presence of the Supreme Soul
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: “sense gratification”, “material”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 11.19

    In this verse: “religious”, “principles”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotional service”

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

Does my understanding of religion lead me toward serving the Lord?

Practice

Examine one religious activity you perform and identify how it leads you toward devotional service.

Live this todayReal Religion Leads to 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 11.19.27? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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