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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 23: The Song of the Avantī Brāhmaṇa
11.23.1411.23.16

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.23.15

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The brāhmaṇasince 11.23.14inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → UddhavaThe Avantī brāhmaṇa → himself

प्रायेणार्था: कदर्याणां न सुखाय कदाचन ।

इह चात्मोपतापाय मृतस्य नरकाय च ॥ १५ ॥

prāyeṇārthāḥ kadaryāṇāṁ

na sukhāya kadācana

iha cātmopatāpāya

mṛtasya narakāya ca

Translation

Generally, the wealth of misers never allows them any happiness. In this life it causes their self-torment, and when they die it sends them to hell.

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.

Miserliness Brings Suffering, Not Happiness

  1. 1

    The wealth of misers generally brings no happiness. Instead, it causes self-torment in this life.

  2. 2

    A miser fears spending money even on obligatory religious and social duties.

  3. 3

    By neglecting these duties, the miser offends God and people in general. The verse warns that this leads to hell after death.

Key points from the purport
  • A miser is afraid to spend his money even for obligatory religious and social duties.
  • Offending God and people in general, he goes to hell.

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 23: The Song of the Avantī Brāhmaṇa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Neither mortal persons, the demigods, the soul, the ruling planets, the reactions of work nor time are the causes of one’s happiness and distress. Rather, the mind alone is their cause, because it is the mind that makes the spirit soul wander in the cycle of material life.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.23
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. prāyeṇagenerally
  2. arthāḥitems of wealth
  3. kadaryāṇāmof those who are misers
  4. nado not
  5. sukhāyalead to happiness
  6. kadācanaat any time
  7. ihain this life
  8. caboth
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.23

    In this verse: “wealth”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 11.23

    In this verse: “religious”, “duties”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 11.23

    In this verse: “fears”, “death”

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 avoiding a religious or social duty simply because I fear spending money?

Practice

Fulfill one small religious or social obligation today that you have postponed out of miserliness.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayMiserliness Brings Suffering, Not HappinessThis 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 11.23.15? Get an answer from the verses themselves.