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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 21: Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Explanation of the Vedic Path
11.20.3711.21.2

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.21.1

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.21.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

श्रीभगवानुवाच

य एतान् मत्पथो हित्वा भक्तिज्ञानक्रियात्मकान् ।

क्षुद्रान् कामांश्चलै: प्राणैर्जुषन्त: संसरन्ति ते ॥ १ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

ya etān mat-patho hitvā

bhakti-jñāna-kriyātmakān

kṣudrān kāmāṁś calaiḥ prāṇair

juṣantaḥ saṁsaranti te

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Those who give up these methods for achieving Me, which consist of devotional service, analytic philosophy and regulated execution of prescribed duties, and instead, being moved by the material senses, cultivate insignificant sense gratification, certainly undergo the continual cycle of material existence.

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.

All Authorized Paths Aim at Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Philosophical analysis and prescribed duties are ultimately meant for achieving Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or pure love of God.

  2. 2

    Devotional service, based on hearing and chanting the Lord’s glories, directly engages the soul in loving service. It is the most efficient means of achieving Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  3. 3

    Those who abandon these means and pursue insignificant sense gratification remain bound to the continual cycle of material existence.

Key points from the purport
  • As clearly explained by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the previous chapters, philosophical analysis and also the performance of prescribed duties are ultimately meant for achieving Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or pure love of God.
  • Devotional service, based on hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, directly engages the conditioned soul in the Lord’s loving service and thus is the most efficient means of achieving the Lord.
  • Now the Lord describes those who, being completely absorbed in material sense gratification, do not adopt any authorized means to achieve the Lord’s mercy.

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

Striving → Complete devotional trust. The Lord redirects Uddhava toward enduring loving service.

Chapters 21–29 of Canto 11: Spiritual practice culminating in bhakti-yoga. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 21: Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Explanation of the Vedic Path

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

For one on the platform of knowledge in the pure mode of goodness and for one on the platform of devotion, the proper actions are, respectively, cultivation of knowledge and practice of devotional service consisting of hearing, chanting and so forth. For both, everything detrimental to their proper actions is bad.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.21
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-bhagavān uvācathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said
  2. yethose who
  3. etānthese
  4. mat-pathaḥmeans for achieving Me
  5. hitvāgiving up
  6. bhaktidevotional service
  7. jñānaanalytic philosophy
  8. kriyāregulated work
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.21

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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 11.21

    In this verse: “philosophy”, “philosophical”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 11.21

    In this verse: “devotional service”

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

Am I directing my efforts toward Kṛṣṇa or mainly toward satisfying my senses?

Practice

Spend five minutes today hearing or chanting the glories of Kṛṣṇa.

Live this todayAll Authorized Paths Aim at 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 11.21.1? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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