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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 11.2.12

Who is speaking and story frame

श्रुतोऽनुपठितो ध्यात आद‍ृतो वानुमोदित: ।

सद्य: पुनाति सद्धर्मो देव विश्वद्रुहोऽपि हि ॥ १२ ॥

śruto ’nupaṭhito dhyāta

ādṛto vānumoditaḥ

sadyaḥ punāti sad-dharmo

deva-viśva-druho ’pi hi

Translation

Pure devotional service rendered to the Supreme Lord is spiritually so potent that simply by hearing about such transcendental service, by chanting its glories in response, by meditating on it, by respectfully and faithfully accepting it, or by praising the devotional service of others, even persons who hate the demigods and all other living beings can be immediately purified.

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.

Pure Devotional Service Purifies Immediately

  1. 1

    Bhāgavata-dharma is devotional service whose only objective is the Lord’s satisfaction. It seeks neither material rewards nor becoming equal to God.

  2. 2

    Hearing about pure devotional service, chanting its glories, meditating on it, faithfully accepting it, or praising it in others can immediately purify even hateful persons.

  3. 3

    Materialistic yoga and impersonal speculation do not have this same power. Even the most fallen souls can attain perfection by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa or His pure devotee.

Key points from the purport
  • Bhāgavata-dharma is spiritually so powerful that even those who by worldly standards are implicated in various ways in sinful behavior can easily be purified by adopting any of the processes mentioned in this verse.
  • Bhāgavata-dharma is devotional service to the Lord in which the only objective is the satisfaction of the Lord.
  • Sad-dharma, or bhāgavata-dharma, pure devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is unique in that even the most fallen souls can immediately rise to the highest perfectional stage by surrendering at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa or His pure devotee.

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

Foreboding → Devotional urgency. Uddhava realizes that Kṛṣṇa's visible association is nearing an end.

Chapters 1–6 of Canto 11: The Yadu curse, the nine Yogendras and farewell signs. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 2: Mahārāja Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Once Nārada arrived at the home of Vasudeva, who worshiped him according to proper etiquette, greeted him respectfully and requested to hear about pure devotional service, which frees one from all kinds of fear. Nārada praised Vasudeva’s fixed intelligence and then related the ancient history of the conversation between the nine Yogendras, who were sons of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, and Nimi, the King of Videha.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.2
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrutaḥheard
  2. anupaṭhitaḥsubsequently chanted
  3. dhyātaḥmeditated on
  4. ādṛtaḥfaithfully accepted
  5. vāor
  6. anumoditaḥpraised when performed by others
  7. sadyaḥimmediately
  8. punātipurifies
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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 11.2

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 11.2

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

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 11.2

    In this verse: “purified”, “purify”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I seeking the Lord’s satisfaction, or something in return for my service?

Practice

Sincerely praise one act of devotional service performed by someone else.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayPure Devotional Service Purifies ImmediatelyThis 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 11.2.12? Get an answer from the verses themselves.