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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 2: Mahārāja Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras
11.2.3511.2.37

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.2.36

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śrī Kavisince 11.2.33inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → VasudevaThe nine Yogendras → King Nimi

कायेन वाचा मनसेन्द्रियैर्वा

बुद्ध्यात्मना वानुसृतस्वभावात् ।

करोति यद् यत् सकलं परस्मै

नारायणायेति समर्पयेत्तत् ॥ ३६ ॥

kāyena vācā manasendriyair vā

buddhyātmanā vānusṛta-svabhāvāt

karoti yad yat sakalaṁ parasmai

nārāyaṇāyeti samarpayet tat

Translation

In accordance with the particular nature one has acquired in conditioned life, whatever one does with body, words, mind, senses, intelligence or purified consciousness one should offer to the Supreme, thinking, “This is for the pleasure of Lord Nārāyaṇa.”

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 Daily Work to the Lord

  1. 1

    Whatever one does with body, words, mind, senses, intelligence or purified consciousness should be offered for Lord Nārāyaṇa’s pleasure. Service is not limited to religious ceremonies; ordinary duties should also be dedicated to Him.

  2. 2

    Offering the fruits of one’s duties to the Supreme Lord gradually transforms mixed devotion into pure devotional service. One learns to give up the claim that one’s hard-earned rewards are meant only for personal enjoyment.

  3. 3

    Work performed according to one’s nature and the Lord’s directions can become devotional service. Sinful or wicked activities, however, can never be accepted as offerings to Him.

Key points from the purport
  • Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has commented in this regard that a person who engages all the sensory activities of his body, mind, words, intelligence, ego and consciousness in the service of the Supreme Lord cannot be considered to be on the same level as a karmī working for his personal sense gratification.
  • Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has given a nice description of how one should offer one’s ordinary activities to the Supreme Lord.
  • Thus, according to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, a devotee of the Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa, should similarly perform all of his daily activities for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord.

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· 2

The purport of SB 11.2.36 quotesBG 9.27

A similar verse is found in Bhagavad-gītā (9.27): “O son of Kuntī, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, and all the austerities that you perform should be done as an offering unto Me.”

The purport of SB 11.2.36 quotesBG 4.13

In Bhagavad-gītā (4.13) the Supreme Lord has personally taken credit for establishing the system of varṇāśrama-dharma: cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ.

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

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:

Whatever one does with his body, mind, words, intelligence, consciousness, senses and natural proclivities should all be offered to Lord Nārāyaṇa. Living entities averse to the Lord’s lotus feet come under the control of the Lord’s illusory energy, māyā.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.2
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kāyenawith the body
  2. vācāspeech
  3. manasāmind
  4. indriyaiḥsenses
  5. vāor
  6. buddhyāwith the intelligence
  7. ātmanāthe purified consciousness
  8. vāor
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

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

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

    In this verse: “purified”, “sinful”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 11.2

    In this verse: “religious”, “duties”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotional service”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which ordinary duty do I tend to regard as separate from service to the Supreme Lord?

Practice

Before one ordinary duty today, pause and think, “This is for the pleasure of Lord Nārāyaṇa,” and consciously dedicate its result to Him.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

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

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 11.2's connections

Live this todayOffer Your Daily Work to the LordThis 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 11.2.36? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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