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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
11.21.3211.21.35

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 11.21.33-34

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

इष्ट्वेह देवता यज्ञैर्गत्वा रंस्यामहे दिवि ।

तस्यान्त इह भूयास्म महाशाला महाकुला: ॥ ३३ ॥

एवं पुष्पितया वाचा व्याक्षिप्तमनसां नृणाम् ।

मानिनां चातिलुब्धानां मद्वार्तापि न रोचते ॥ ३४ ॥

iṣṭveha devatā yajñair

gatvā raṁsyāmahe divi

tasyānta iha bhūyāsma

mahā-śālā mahā-kulāḥ

evaṁ puṣpitayā vācā

vyākṣipta-manasāṁ nṛṇām

mānināṁ cāti-lubdhānāṁ

mad-vārtāpi na rocate

Translation

The worshipers of demigods think, “We shall worship the demigods in this life, and by our sacrifices we shall go to heaven and enjoy there. When that enjoyment is finished we shall return to this world and take birth as great householders in aristocratic families.” Being excessively proud and greedy, such persons are bewildered by the flowery words of the Vedas. They are not attracted to topics about Me, the Supreme Lord.

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.

Choose the Lord’s Bliss Over Heavenly Dreams

  1. 1

    Demigod worshipers dream of enjoying heaven and later returning to wealthy, aristocratic families. Pride and greed leave them unattracted to topics about the Supreme Lord.

  2. 2

    Real pleasure is found in the Lord’s transcendental form and His loving pastimes in the spiritual world. These pastimes offer eternal bliss.

  3. 3

    Those who neglect that bliss and dream of becoming like the Lord achieve the opposite result. They continue in the cycle of birth and death.

Key points from the purport
  • Real pleasure is found in the transcendental form of the Lord, who is the supreme Cupid, engaging in pastimes of love in the spiritual world.
  • Neglecting the eternal bliss of the Lord’s pastimes, the foolish worshipers of the demigods dream of becoming like the Lord, but they achieve exactly the opposite result.
  • In other words, they continue perpetually in the cycle of birth and death.

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:

Persons whose minds are agitated by the flowery words of the Vedas have no attraction for hearing topics about Lord Hari. It should be understood that there is no inner purport to the Vedas apart from the original Personality of Godhead.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.21
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. iṣṭvāoffering sacrifice
  2. ihain this world
  3. devatāḥto the demigods
  4. yajñaiḥby our sacrifices
  5. gatvāgoing
  6. raṁsyāmahewe shall enjoy
  7. diviin heaven
  8. tasyaof that enjoyment
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

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 11.21

    In this verse: “proud”, “pride”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “householders”, “wealthy”

  • 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

Do dreams of wealth or status make topics about Kṛṣṇa seem less attractive to me?

Practice

Spend two minutes reading these verses about the Lord rather than dwelling on a desired improvement in wealth or status.

Live this todayChoose the Lord’s Bliss Over Heavenly DreamsThis 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 11.21.33-34? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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