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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
11.2.4111.2.43

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.2.42

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

भक्ति: परेशानुभवो विरक्ति-

रन्यत्र चैष त्रिक एककाल: ।

प्रपद्यमानस्य यथाश्न‍त: स्यु-

स्तुष्टि: पुष्टि: क्षुदपायोऽनुघासम् ॥ ४२ ॥

bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir

anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ

prapadyamānasya yathāśnataḥ syus

tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo ’nu-ghāsam

Translation

Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other things — these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the same way that pleasure, nourishment and relief from hunger come simultaneously and increasingly, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating.

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.

Devotion, Experience, and Detachment Grow Together

  1. 1

    For one taking shelter of the Supreme Lord, devotion, direct experience of Him, and detachment develop together. They resemble the satisfaction, nourishment, and relief from hunger that come with each bite of food.

  2. 2

    Unlike satisfaction with food, experience of Kṛṣṇa never makes a devotee lose interest in Him. Attachment to Kṛṣṇa increases while hankering for other things diminishes.

  3. 3

    Detachment means using things properly in Kṛṣṇa’s service, not making an artificial show of renunciation. Even in beginning devotional practice, one who surrenders to Kṛṣṇa can experience His protection and the results of devotion.

Key points from the purport
  • On the other hand, according to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, although one who is experiencing the blissful Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, becomes uninterested in anything other than Kṛṣṇa, his attachment to Kṛṣṇa increases at every moment.
  • As soon as one surrenders to the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa (prapadyamānasya), giving up all other activities (viraktir anyatra ca), one is immediately to be considered a liberated soul (jīvan-muktaḥ).
  • Thus devotion, direct experience of the Personality of Godhead, and detachment from other objects become manifest even in the beginning stage of bhakti-yoga, since bhakti-yoga begins at the point of liberation.

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· 5

The purport of SB 11.2.42 quotesSB 2.3.10

Such concentrated love of Godhead has been described in the Second Canto of the Bhāgavatam by the words tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena yajeta puruṣaṁ param.

The purport of SB 11.2.42 quotesBG 18.66

Other processes have as their final goal salvation or liberation, but according to Bhagavad-gītā (18.66): If one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa one is immediately liberated and thus begins his career as a transcendental devotee with complete confidence in the Lord’s protection.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.22.23

Therefore it is stated, bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca: to advance in devotional service one should be uninterested in the materialistic way of life.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 6.2.17

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.42), bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca: devotional service is so powerful that one who performs devotional service is immediately freed from all sinful desires.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 6.16.26

It is also said, bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca.

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:

Just as by eating one gradually appeases his hunger and with every bite feels more and more satisfied and nourished, a surrendered devotee achieves detachment from all objects other than Kṛṣṇa, gains direct personal experience of the Lord and relishes pure love for the Lord, all simultaneously.”
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.2
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. bhaktiḥdevotion
  2. para-īśaof the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  3. anubhavaḥdirect perception
  4. viraktiḥdetachment
  5. anyatrafrom everything else
  6. caand
  7. eṣaḥthis
  8. trikaḥgroup of three
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotion”, “devotee”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 11.2

    In this verse: “shelter”, “surrenders”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 11.2

    In this verse: “detachment”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How could I use something I already have for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure rather than only my own?

Practice

Choose one object you use today and put it to a small, concrete use in Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevotion, Experience, and Detachment Grow TogetherOne of the 108 chosen lessons: a practice and a question from this verse

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 11.2.42? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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