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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
11.21.2811.21.31

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 11.21.29-30

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

ते मे मतमविज्ञाय परोक्षं विषयात्मका: ।

हिंसायां यदि राग: स्याद् यज्ञ एव न चोदना ॥ २९ ॥

हिंसाविहारा ह्यालब्धै: पशुभि: स्वसुखेच्छया ।

यजन्ते देवता यज्ञै: पितृभूतपतीन् खला: ॥ ३० ॥

te me matam avijñāya

parokṣaṁ viṣayātmakāḥ

hiṁsāyāṁ yadi rāgaḥ syād

yajña eva na codanā

hiṁsā-vihārā hy ālabdhaiḥ

paśubhiḥ sva-sukhecchayā

yajante devatā yajñaiḥ

pitṛ-bhūta-patīn khalāḥ

Translation

Those who are sworn to sense gratification cannot understand the confidential conclusion of Vedic knowledge as explained by Me. Taking pleasure in violence, they cruelly slaughter innocent animals in sacrifice for their own sense gratification and thus worship demigods, forefathers and leaders among ghostly creatures. Such passion for violence, however, is never encouraged within the process of Vedic sacrifice.

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.

Religious Concessions Do Not Encourage Violence

  1. 1

    The Vedic concessions for animal sacrifice are restricted by rigorous rituals. They are meant to gradually discourage animal killing, not encourage enjoyment of violence.

  2. 2

    Materialistic persons misuse these restrictions to justify killing animals for their own pleasure. In doing so, they miss the confidential conclusion of Vedic knowledge.

  3. 3

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the actual enjoyer of all sacrifice and austerity. Accepting rituals without surrendering to Him misses their ultimate purpose.

Key points from the purport
  • The Vedic scriptures sanction occasional animal sacrifice to satisfy cruel, low-class men who cannot live without the taste of flesh and blood.
  • But unscrupulous persons misconstrue such restrictive sanctions and declare that Vedic sacrifice is meant for killing animals in order to enjoy sense gratification.
  • Being materialistic, they desire to attain the planets of the forefathers or demigods and thus worship such beings.

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:

But persons of inferior intelligence take the flowery benedictory verses of the scriptures to be the actual purport of the Vedas; this opinion, however, is never held by those in factual knowledge of the truth of the Vedas. Persons whose minds are agitated by the flowery words of the Vedas have no attraction for hearing topics about Lord Hari.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.21
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tethey
  2. meMy
  3. matamconclusion
  4. avijñāyawithout understanding
  5. parokṣamconfidential
  6. viṣaya-ātmakāḥabsorbed in sense gratification
  7. hiṁsāyāmto violence
  8. yadiif
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”, “understand”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “worship”

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

Do I ever use religious permission to defend a desire rather than become purified?

Practice

Identify one desire you tend to justify through religion, and offer a brief prayer for willingness to surrender it to Kṛṣṇa.

Live this todayReligious Concessions Do Not Encourage ViolenceThis 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 11.21.29-30? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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