1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 11 · General History · 31 chapters

12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 20: Pure Devotional Service Surpasses Knowledge and Detachment
11.20.2611.20.29

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 11.20.27-28

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.20.6inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

जातश्रद्धो मत्कथासु निर्विण्ण: सर्वकर्मसु ।

वेद दु:खात्मकान् कामान् परित्यागेऽप्यनीश्वर: ॥ २७ ॥

ततो भजेत मां प्रीत: श्रद्धालुर्दृढनिश्चय: ।

जुषमाणश्च तान् कामान् दु:खोदर्कांश्च गर्हयन् ॥ २८ ॥

jāta-śraddho mat-kathāsu

nirviṇṇaḥ sarva-karmasu

veda duḥkhātmakān kāmān

parityāge ’py anīśvaraḥ

tato bhajeta māṁ prītaḥ

śraddhālur dṛḍha-niścayaḥ

juṣamāṇaś ca tān kāmān

duḥkhodarkāṁś ca garhayan

Translation

Having awakened faith in the narrations of My glories, being disgusted with all material activities, knowing that all sense gratification leads to misery, but still being unable to renounce all sense enjoyment, My devotee should remain happy and worship Me with great faith and conviction. Even though he is sometimes engaged in sense enjoyment, My devotee knows that all sense gratification leads to a miserable result, and he sincerely repents such activities.

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.

Remain Faithful While Attachments Fade

  1. 1

    A beginning devotee may know that sense gratification brings misery yet still struggle with old habits. The Lord encourages such a devotee to sincerely repent, avoid willing sinful activity and continue loving service enthusiastically.

  2. 2

    Pleasing Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, must remain more important than cultivating knowledge or detachment. Firm faith in His mercy, joined with a sincere desire to give up sense enjoyment, carries the devotee past obstacles.

  3. 3

    Faithful hearing and chanting of the Lord’s glories gradually free one from material desire. Even while attachments remain, a sincere devotee resolves never to abandon devotional service and patiently awaits Lord Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.

Key points from the purport
  • Although I am attached to material things I can see very clearly that they lead to no good because they simply give me trouble and disturb my devotional service to the Lord.
  • Therefore, although sincerely lamenting occasional lapses into sense enjoyment, he never gives up his enthusiasm to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa.
  • A sincere devotee of the Lord must be sincerely convinced that simply by the strength of devotional service and the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa he will achieve everything auspicious in life.

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

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 20: Pure Devotional Service Surpasses Knowledge and Detachment

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Anyone who renders service to the Supreme Lord by constant devotional service will be able to steadily fix his mind upon the Supreme Lord, and thus all desires for sense gratification sitting within the heart will be destroyed to the root. When one directly perceives the presence of the Supreme Lord, his false ego becomes completely eradicated; all of his doubts are shattered, and heaps of material activities become diminished to nil.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.20
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. jātaone who has awakened
  2. śraddhaḥfaith
  3. mat-kathāsuin the descriptions of My glories
  4. nirviṇṇaḥdisgusted
  5. sarvawith all
  6. karmasuactivities
  7. vedahe knows
  8. duḥkhamisery
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 11.20

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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.20

    In this verse: “sense gratification”, “material”, “attachments”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 11.20

    In this verse: “renounce”, “detachment”, “give up”

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

When attachments trouble me, do I keep pleasing Lord Kṛṣṇa as my goal rather than becoming absorbed in discouragement or renunciation?

Practice

Spend a few minutes hearing or chanting Lord Kṛṣṇa’s glories, and pray to continue serving Him faithfully while He purifies your attachments.

Live this todayRemain Faithful While Attachments FadeThis 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 11.20.27-28? Get an answer from the verses themselves.