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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
11.23.2311.23.25

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.23.24

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
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

देवर्षिपितृभूतानि ज्ञातीन् बन्धूंश्च भागिन: ।

असंविभज्य चात्मानं यक्षवित्त: पतत्यध: ॥ २४ ॥

devarṣi-pitṛ-bhūtāni

jñātīn bandhūṁś ca bhāginaḥ

asaṁvibhajya cātmānaṁ

yakṣa-vittaḥ pataty adhaḥ

Translation

One who fails to distribute his wealth to the proper shareholders — the demigods, sages, forefathers and ordinary living entities, as well as his immediate relatives, in-laws and own self — is maintaining his wealth simply like a Yakṣa and will fall down.

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.

Share Wealth With Its Proper Recipients

  1. 1

    Wealth has proper shareholders: the demigods, sages, forefathers, ordinary living entities, immediate relatives, in-laws and oneself.

  2. 2

    Someone who fails to distribute wealth to these recipients maintains it merely like a Yakṣa and will fall down.

  3. 3

    One who neither shares wealth with the authorized recipients nor enjoys it personally will suffer unlimited problems in life.

Key points from the purport
  • One who does not share his wealth with the above-mentioned authorized persons and does not even enjoy the wealth himself will certainly suffer unlimited problems in life.

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:

As a result, his wife, sons, daughters, relatives and servants were all deprived of every kind of enjoyment and gradually came to behave unaffectionately toward him. In due course of time, thieves, family members and providence took away the sum total of his wealth.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.23
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. devathe demigods
  2. ṛṣisages
  3. pitṛdeparted forefathers
  4. bhūtāniand living entities in general
  5. jñātīnone’s immediate relatives
  6. bandhūnextended family
  7. caand
  8. bhāginaḥto the shareholders
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “wealth”

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 holding on to resources while neglecting someone who should receive a share?

Practice

Share a small amount of money or a needed item with a relative whose needs you have overlooked.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayShare Wealth With Its Proper RecipientsThis 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 11.23.24? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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