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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
11.21.711.21.9

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.21.8

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

अकृष्णसारो देशानामब्रह्मण्योऽशुचिर्भवेत् ।

कृष्णसारोऽप्यसौवीरकीकटासंस्कृतेरिणम् ॥ ८ ॥

akṛṣṇa-sāro deśānām

abrahmaṇyo ’sucir bhavet

kṛṣṇa-sāro ’py asauvīra-

kīkaṭāsaṁskṛteriṇam

Translation

Among places, those bereft of the spotted antelope, those devoid of devotion to the brāhmaṇas, those possessing spotted antelopes but bereft of respectable men, provinces like Kīkaṭa and places where cleanliness and purificatory rites are neglected, where meat-eaters are prominent or where the earth is barren, are all considered to be contaminated lands.

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.

Devotion and Saintly Association Sanctify Places

  1. 1

    The Lord describes places as pure or impure according to their suitability for religious life. Cleanliness, purificatory ceremonies and the presence of respectable saintly persons are important.

  2. 2

    Even expertise in ritualistic sacrifices does not make a place pure if its inhabitants oppose devotional service to the Lord.

  3. 3

    Any place where saintly persons gather is considered holy, even within a generally impure province. One may also dwell wherever the Deity of Viṣṇu is duly installed and worshiped.

Key points from the purport
  • Even in such provinces, however, any place where saintly persons gather is considered to be holy.
  • All other places should be considered kīkaṭa, or contaminated.
  • But if even in such contaminated places black and spotted antelopes are found, one may reside there as long as sinful persons are not also present.

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. akṛṣṇa-sāraḥwithout spotted antelopes
  2. deśānāmamong places
  3. abrahmaṇyaḥwhere there is no devotion to the brāhmaṇas
  4. aśuciḥcontaminated
  5. bhavetis
  6. kṛṣṇa-sāraḥpossessing spotted antelopes
  7. apieven
  8. asauvīrawithout saintly cultured men
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: “devotion”, “devotional service”, “worshiped”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 11.21

    In this verse: “purificatory”, “contaminated”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 11.21

    In this verse: “religious”

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

How does my present environment support cleanliness and devotional service?

Practice

Clean one small area where you carry out your devotional activities.

Live this todayDevotion and Saintly Association Sanctify PlacesThis 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 11.21.8? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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