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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
11.22.6011.23.1

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.22.61

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Uddhavasince 11.22.60inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

सुदु:सहमिमं मन्ये आत्मन्यसदतिक्रमम् ।

विदुषामपि विश्वात्मन् प्रकृतिर्हि बलीयसी ।

ऋते त्वद्धर्मनिरतान् शान्तांस्ते चरणालयान् ॥ ६१ ॥

su-duḥsaham imaṁ manya

ātmany asad-atikramam

viduṣām api viśvātman

prakṛtir hi balīyasī

ṛte tvad-dharma-niratān

śāntāṁs te caraṇālayān

Translation

O soul of the universe, the conditioning of one’s personality in material life is very strong, and therefore it is very difficult even for learned men to tolerate the offenses committed against them by ignorant people. Only Your devotees, who are fixed in Your loving service and who have achieved peace by residing at Your lotus feet, are able to tolerate such offenses.

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.

Loving Service Gives Strength to Tolerate

  1. 1

    The conditioned personality is very strong because of long material association. Even learned people find it difficult to tolerate offenses committed against them.

  2. 2

    Devotees fixed in the Lord’s loving service find peace at His lotus feet and can tolerate such offenses. Theoretical learning alone cannot make one actually saintly.

  3. 3

    One should advance in hearing and chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord and humbly take shelter at His lotus feet. He has explained the real meaning of knowledge to Śrī Uddhava.

Key points from the purport
  • Unless one becomes advanced in the process of hearing and chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord, theoretical learning cannot make one actually saintly.
  • One’s conditioned personality, the result of long material association, is very difficult to overcome.
  • Therefore we should humbly take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, who has so wonderfully explained to Śrī Uddhava the real meaning of knowledge.

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:

Therefore the living being has no actual need for sense gratificatory pleasures. With the exception of those peaceful personalities who have taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and are dedicated to the divine duty of His service, everyone, including so-called learned scholars, is inevitably overcome by the all-powerful material nature.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.22
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. su-duḥsahammost difficult to tolerate
  2. imamthis
  3. manyeI consider
  4. ātmaniupon oneself
  5. asatby ignorant people
  6. atikramamthe attacks
  7. viduṣāmfor those who are learned
  8. apieven
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 11.22

    In this verse: “devotees”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 11.22

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 11.22

    In this verse: “offenses”

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 relying only on what I know, or also seeking peace through the Lord’s loving service?

Practice

Spend a few minutes hearing or chanting the Supreme Lord’s glories, humbly seeking shelter at His lotus feet.

Live this todayLoving Service Gives Strength to TolerateThis 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 11.22.61? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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