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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 25: The Three Modes of Nature and Beyond
11.25.1911.25.21

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.25.20

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.25.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

सत्त्वाज्जागरणं विद्याद् रजसा स्वप्नमादिशेत् ।

प्रस्वापं तमसा जन्तोस्तुरीयं त्रिषु सन्ततम् ॥ २० ॥

sattvāj jāgaraṇaṁ vidyād

rajasā svapnam ādiśet

prasvāpaṁ tamasā jantos

turīyaṁ triṣu santatam

Translation

It should be understood that alert wakefulness comes from the mode of goodness, sleep with dreaming from the mode of passion, and deep, dreamless sleep from the mode of ignorance. The fourth state of consciousness pervades these three and is transcendental.

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 Consciousness Endures Beyond the Modes

  1. 1

    Alert wakefulness comes from goodness, dreaming from passion, and deep, dreamless sleep from ignorance.

  2. 2

    Original Kṛṣṇa consciousness exists eternally within the soul and is present throughout all three phases of awareness.

  3. 3

    The modes may cover this spiritual consciousness so that it is not manifest. Still, it remains the living entity’s eternal, real nature.

Key points from the purport
  • Our original Kṛṣṇa consciousness exists eternally within the soul, and it is also present in all the three phases of awareness, namely normal wakefulness, dreaming and dreamless sleep.
  • Being covered by the modes of nature, this spiritual consciousness may not be manifest, but it continues to exist eternally as the real nature of the living entity.

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 11.13.27

The fourth element, pure consciousness, is different from these three and pervades them.”

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 25: The Three Modes of Nature and Beyond

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

These modes of goodness, passion and ignorance are present in the infinitesimal living entity, whereas the Supreme Personality of Godhead is transcendental to the three modes of material nature. The substance, place and result of activity, along with the time, the knowledge underlying action, the activity itself, the performer, his faith, his level of awareness, his spiritual progress and his destination after death, all partake of the three modes and manifest variously in terms of distinctions and hierarchies.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.25
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sattvātby the mode of goodness
  2. jāgaraṇamwaking consciousness
  3. vidyātone should understand
  4. rajasāby passion
  5. svapnamsleep
  6. ādiśetis indicated
  7. prasvāpamdeep sleep
  8. tamasāby the mode of ignorance
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

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 knowing that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is my enduring nature change my view of passing mental states?

Practice

Before sleeping today, reflect for a minute that Kṛṣṇa consciousness remains present beyond waking, dreaming and dreamless sleep.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Consciousness Endures Beyond the ModesThis 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 11.25.20? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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