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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
11.21.2611.21.28

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.21.27

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

कामिन: कृपणा लुब्धा: पुष्पेषु फलबुद्धय: ।

अग्निमुग्धा धूमतान्ता: स्वं लोकं न विदन्ति ते ॥ २७ ॥

kāminaḥ kṛpaṇā lubdhāḥ

puṣpeṣu phala-buddhayaḥ

agni-mugdhā dhūma-tāntāḥ

svaṁ lokaṁ na vidanti te

Translation

Those who are full of lust, avarice and greed mistake mere flowers to be the actual fruit of life. Bewildered by the glare of fire and suffocated by its smoke, they cannot recognize their own true identity.

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.

Pure Love of Kṛṣṇa Is the Fruit

  1. 1

    Lust and greed lead people to mistake the flowery promises of the Vedas for life’s highest perfection. Desire for personal gratification fills them with anxiety and envy.

  2. 2

    Treating fire sacrifices for material benefit as the highest religious truth obscures spiritual understanding, like smoke obscuring vision. Such worshipers do not recognize their spiritual identity or their genuine shelter in God’s kingdom.

  3. 3

    All Vedic knowledge is meant to lead us to pure love of Godhead. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth, and loving Him is the ultimate purpose of our existence.

Key points from the purport
  • The word agni-mugdhāḥ, “bewildered by fire,” indicates that such persons consider Vedic fire sacrifices awarding material benefit to be the highest religious truth, and thus they merge into ignorance.
  • Lord Kṛṣṇa states in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ: all Vedic knowledge is actually meant to lead one to pure love of Godhead.
  • The Vedic knowledge patiently tries to bring the conditioned soul to this perfection of pure 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.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 11.21.27 quotesBG 15.15

Lord Kṛṣṇa states in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ: all Vedic knowledge is actually meant to lead one to pure love of Godhead.

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

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:

In regard to the execution of prescribed duties for sense gratification, the actual intent of all the scriptures is the subduing of materialistic propensities; such is the actual principle of religion that destroys sorrow, confusion and fear and bestows all good fortune. Work performed for sense gratification is not actually beneficial.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.21
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kāminaḥlusty persons
  2. kṛpaṇāḥmiserly
  3. lubdhāḥgreedy
  4. puṣpeṣuflowers
  5. phala-buddhayaḥthinking to be the ultimate fruits
  6. agniby fire
  7. mugdhāḥbewildered
  8. dhūma-tāntāḥsuffocating from smoke
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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “absolute truth”, “understanding”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “lust”, “material”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “worshipers”

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 treating material benefits as the fruit of spiritual life, or seeking pure love for Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Offer a short prayer today asking to grow in love for Kṛṣṇa rather than seeking material rewards.

Live this todayPure Love of Kṛṣṇa Is the FruitThis 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.

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