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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 24: The Philosophy of Sāṅkhya
11.24.1811.24.20

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.24.19

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Kṛṣṇasince 11.24.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

प्रकृतिर्यस्योपादानमाधारः पुरुषः परः ।

सतोऽभिव्यञ्जकः कालो ब्रह्म तत्‍त्रितयं त्वहम् ॥ १९ ॥

prakṛtir yasyopādānam

ādhāraḥ puruṣaḥ paraḥ

sato ’bhivyañjakaḥ kālo

brahma tat tritayaṁ tv aham

Translation

The material universe may be considered real, having nature as its original ingredient and final state. Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu is the resting place of nature, which becomes manifest by the power of time. Thus nature, the almighty Viṣṇu and time are not different from Me, the Supreme Absolute Truth.

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.

Kṛṣṇa Contains All Existence

  1. 1

    The material universe may be considered real because material nature is its original ingredient and final state. Nature rests in Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu and becomes manifest through time.

  2. 2

    Material nature is the Lord’s energy, Mahā-Viṣṇu is His plenary portion, and time represents His activity. Nature and time are always subservient to Him.

  3. 3

    Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, creates, maintains and annihilates everything through His potencies and plenary portions. He is the Absolute Truth because He contains all existence within Himself.

Key points from the purport
  • Material nature is the energy of the Lord, Mahā-Viṣṇu is His plenary portion, and time represents the Lord’s activity.
  • In this way, time and nature are always subservient to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who creates, maintains and annihilates all that exists through the agency of His potencies and plenary portions.
  • In other words, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth because He contains all existence within Himself.

The purport's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 1

Quoted in the purport ofSB 10.87.15

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.24.19), Lord Kṛṣṇa says: “The material universe is real, having prakṛti as its original ingredient and final state.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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 24: The Philosophy of Sāṅkhya

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

This universe of material action and reaction is constituted under the control of time and the three modes of material nature. Moreover, whatever exists in this universe is simply the product of the combination of material nature and her Lord.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.24
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. prakṛtiḥmaterial nature
  2. yasyaof which (produced manifestation of the universe)
  3. upādānamthe ingredient cause
  4. ādhāraḥthe foundation
  5. puruṣaḥthe Personality of Godhead
  6. paraḥSupreme
  7. sataḥof the real (nature)
  8. abhivyañjakaḥthe agitating agent
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 11.24

    In this verse: “absolute truth”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.24

    In this verse: “material”

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 understanding nature and time as dependent on Kṛṣṇa change my view of the world?

Practice

Observe one change in nature today and remember that both nature and time are subservient to Kṛṣṇa.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Contains All ExistenceThis 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 11.24.19? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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