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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 · Text 11.19.3

Who is speaking and story frame

ज्ञानविज्ञानसंसिद्धा: पदं श्रेष्ठं विदुर्मम ।

ज्ञानी प्रियतमोऽतो मे ज्ञानेनासौ बिभर्ति माम् ॥ ३ ॥

jñāna-vijñāna-saṁsiddhāḥ

padaṁ śreṣṭhaṁ vidur mama

jñānī priyatamo ’to me

jñānenāsau bibharti mām

Translation

Those who have achieved complete perfection through philosophical and realized knowledge recognize My lotus feet to be the supreme transcendental object. Thus the learned transcendentalist is most dear to Me, and by his perfect knowledge he maintains Me in happiness.

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.

Realized Knowledge Pleases Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Completely perfected spiritual scholars recognize Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet as the supreme object. Impersonal speculation does not constitute this perfection.

  2. 2

    Jñāna is authorized philosophical understanding of reality. When that knowledge becomes clearly realized through purified consciousness, it is called vijñāna.

  3. 3

    Kṛṣṇa is very pleased when living entities gain a sound spiritual education. The devotee who knows Him and engages in pure devotional service is very dear to Him.

Key points from the purport
  • The words padaṁ śreṣṭhaṁ vidur mama (“they recognize My lotus feet to be supreme”) certainly eliminate the impersonalist philosophers from the category of saṁsiddhāḥ, or completely perfected philosophers.
  • Speculative, impersonal knowledge does not actually purify the heart of the living entity but rather merges him ever deeper into forgetfulness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • Just as a father is always proud of his son’s education, similarly, Lord Kṛṣṇa becomes very happy to see the living entities acquiring a sound spiritual education and thus making progress on the way back home, back to Godhead.

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· 1

The purport of SB 11.19.3 quotesBG 7.17

The Lord similarly states in Bhagavad-gītā (7.17-18): “Of these, the wise one who is in full knowledge in union with Me through pure devotional service is the best.

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:

The Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, stated to Uddhava, “One who is actually wise, who knows the truth of the self and possesses transcendental insight, rejects this world of dualities and the so-called knowledge meant for facilitating enjoyment of it. He instead engages himself in trying to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.19
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. jñānain scriptural knowledge
  2. vijñānaand realized spiritual understanding
  3. saṁsiddhāḥcompletely perfected
  4. padamthe lotus feet
  5. śreṣṭhamthe supreme object
  6. viduḥthey know
  7. mamaMy
  8. jñānīa learned transcendentalist
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “philosophical”, “understanding”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotee”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

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

    In this verse: “purified”

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 my learning become a way to please Kṛṣṇa rather than merely collect information?

Practice

Review one teaching about Kṛṣṇa today and consider how it can guide your devotional service.

5

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Live this todayRealized Knowledge Pleases KṛṣṇaThis 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 11.19.3? Get an answer from the verses themselves.