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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
11.2.4211.2.44

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.2.43

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

इत्यच्युताङ्‍‍घ्रि भजतोऽनुवृत्त्या

भक्तिर्विरक्तिर्भगवत्प्रबोध: ।

भवन्ति वै भागवतस्य राजं-

स्तत: परां शान्तिमुपैति साक्षात् ॥ ४३ ॥

ity acyutāṅghriṁ bhajato ’nuvṛttyā

bhaktir viraktir bhagavat-prabodhaḥ

bhavanti vai bhāgavatasya rājaṁs

tataḥ parāṁ śāntim upaiti sākṣāt

Translation

My dear King, the devotee who worships the lotus feet of the infallible Personality of Godhead with constant endeavor thus achieves unflinching devotion, detachment and experienced knowledge of the Personality of Godhead. In this way the successful devotee of the Lord achieves supreme spiritual peace.

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.

Peace Through Steady Devotion to Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Constant worship of the Lord’s lotus feet brings unflinching devotion, detachment and experienced knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Through this, the devotee attains supreme spiritual peace.

  2. 2

    Being desireless means having no desire for personal sense gratification. The devotee’s only desire is to please Kṛṣṇa, rather than seek material enjoyment, liberation or mystic powers.

  3. 3

    The devotee sees everything as the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and desires to engage it in His service. With no demand for personal satisfaction, the devotee can be happy in any situation under Kṛṣṇa’s shelter.

Key points from the purport
  • On the other hand, kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma, ataeva ‘śānta’: a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is niṣkāma; he has no personal desire.
  • The devotee sees everything as the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and therefore desires to engage everything in the service of the Lord, for the Lord’s satisfaction.
  • Having no personal desire, the devotee of Kṛṣṇa is actually śānta, or peaceful, because he has achieved the perfection of life, love of Kṛṣṇa.

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· 3

The purport of SB 11.2.43 quotesBG 2.71

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (2.71): “A person who has given up all desires for sense gratification, who lives free from desires, who has given up all sense of proprietorship and who is devoid of false ego — he alone can attain real peace.”

The purport of SB 11.2.43 quotesCC Madhya 19.149

There is a similar statement in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 19.149): “Because a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is desireless, he is peaceful.

The purport of SB 11.2.43 quotesSB 6.17.28

Elevation to the heavenly kingdom, condemnation to hell and liberation from material bondage all appear the same to a devotee.”

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. itithus
  2. acyutaof the infallible Supreme Lord
  3. aṅghrimthe feet
  4. bhajataḥfor one who is worshiping
  5. anuvṛttyāby constant practice
  6. bhaktiḥdevotion
  7. viraktiḥdetachment
  8. bhagavat-prabodhaḥknowledge of the Personality of Godhead
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”, “worships”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

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

    In this verse: “detachment”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 11.2

    In this verse: “knowledge”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Where could I shift my desire from personal satisfaction toward pleasing Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Choose one thing you use today and use it in service to Kṛṣṇa, consciously seeking His satisfaction rather than your own.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayPeace Through Steady Devotion to 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 11.2.43? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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