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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 22: Enumeration of the Elements of Material Creation
11.22.3411.22.37

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 11.22.35-36

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Uddhavasince 11.22.35-36inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

श्रीउद्धव उवाच

त्वत्त: परावृत्तधिय: स्वकृतै: कर्मभि: प्रभो ।

उच्चावचान् यथा देहान् गृह्णन्ति विसृजन्ति च ॥ ३५ ॥

तन्ममाख्याहि गोविन्द दुर्विभाव्यमनात्मभि: ।

न ह्येतत् प्रायशो लोके विद्वांस: सन्ति वञ्चिता: ॥ ३६ ॥

śrī-uddhava uvāca

tvattaḥ parāvṛtta-dhiyaḥ

sva-kṛtaiḥ karmabhiḥ prabho

uccāvacān yathā dehān

gṛhṇanti visṛjanti ca

tan mamākhyāhi govinda

durvibhāvyam anātmabhiḥ

na hy etat prāyaśo loke

vidvāṁsaḥ santi vañcitāḥ

Translation

Śrī Uddhava said: O supreme master, the intelligence of those dedicated to fruitive activities is certainly deviated from You. Please explain to me how such persons accept superior and inferior bodies by their materialistic activities and then give up such bodies. O Govinda, this topic is very difficult for foolish persons to understand. Being cheated by illusion in this world, they generally do not become aware of these facts.

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.

Hear From Kṛṣṇa to Understand Liberation

  1. 1

    Śrī Uddhava asks how persons devoted to fruitive activities accept and give up higher and lower bodies. Material illusion generally keeps them unaware of this process.

  2. 2

    True intelligence includes understanding God and the consequences of forgetting one’s eternal relationship with Him. Philosophy produced within material illusion cannot free one from that illusion.

  3. 3

    Liberation comes through perfect knowledge from the spiritual platform. By faithfully hearing from Lord Kṛṣṇa and His authorized representatives, one can return home, back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • There are many so-called wise men in the world, but although considering themselves to be most intelligent, they generally do not surrender to the supreme intelligence of the Lord.
  • Thus they concoct varieties of philosophies according to their positions within the modes of nature.
  • By faithfully hearing from Lord Kṛṣṇa and His authorized representatives one can easily achieve liberation and go back home, back to Godhead.

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 22: Enumeration of the Elements of Material Creation

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The living entities who are inimical to the Supreme Personality of Godhead take on and give up various kinds of material bodies through the agency of their own material work. But those who are ignorant of the self, because of being bewildered by illusion, do not understand this.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.22
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-uddhavaḥ uvācaŚrī Uddhava said
  2. tvattaḥfrom You
  3. parāvṛttadiverted
  4. dhiyaḥwhose minds
  5. sva-kṛtaiḥdone by them
  6. karmabhiḥby the fruitive activities
  7. prabhoO supreme master
  8. ucca-avacānhigher and lower
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 11.22

    In this verse: “understand”, “knowledge”, “philosophy”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.22

    In this verse: “illusion”, “materialistic”, “material”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 11.22

    In this verse: “give up”

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 willing to receive knowledge from the Lord rather than rely only on my own ideas?

Practice

Read this passage aloud slowly, attending to it as instruction received from Kṛṣṇa and His authorized representatives.

Live this todayHear From Kṛṣṇa to Understand LiberationThis 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 11.22.35-36? Get an answer from the verses themselves.