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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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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 21: Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Explanation of the Vedic Path
11.21.111.21.3

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.21.2

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
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

स्वे स्वेऽधिकारे या निष्ठा स गुण: परिकीर्तित: ।

विपर्ययस्तु दोष: स्यादुभयोरेष निश्चय: ॥ २ ॥

sve sve ’dhikāre yā niṣṭhā

sa guṇaḥ parikīrtitaḥ

viparyayas tu doṣaḥ syād

ubhayor eṣa niścayaḥ

Translation

Steadiness in one’s own position is declared to be actual piety, whereas deviation from one’s position is considered impiety. In this way the two are definitely ascertained.

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.

Advance Steadily Without Imitating Higher Stages

  1. 1

    Actual piety means steadiness in one’s proper position. One should not disrupt the natural development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness by abandoning prescribed duties prematurely.

  2. 2

    Work offered to the Lord leads toward spiritual knowledge and recognition of oneself as His eternal servant. The goal is direct loving service and full surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

  3. 3

    A beginner should not imitate the activities of a perfected devotee. Pure devotional service should not be criticized, but material tendencies mixed with devotion may be corrected.

Key points from the purport
  • Thus one first gives up the lower stage of attachment to the material body and then subsequently gives up attachment to cultivation of spiritual knowledge.
  • One should not see material good and evil within a devotee of the Lord.
  • Material piety and analytic knowledge of the material world must therefore be cultivated until one comes to the stage of directly practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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:

They are inimical to Lord Kṛṣṇa, attached to sense gratification, and are dominated by fruitive activities aimed at fulfillment of material desires. This chapter describes their faults in terms of place, time, substance and beneficiary of actions.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.21
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sve sveeach in his own
  2. adhikāreposition
  3. yāsuch
  4. niṣṭhāsteadiness
  5. saḥthis
  6. guṇaḥpiety
  7. parikīrtitaḥis declared to be
  8. viparyayaḥthe opposite
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

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

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 11.21

    In this verse: “surrender”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”

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

Where might I be trying to appear spiritually advanced instead of steadily fulfilling my present responsibilities?

Practice

Carry out one regular duty carefully today, offering your effort to the Lord rather than seeking personal reward.

Live this todayAdvance Steadily Without Imitating Higher StagesThis 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 11.21.2? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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