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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 26: The Aila-gītā
11.25.3611.26.2

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.26.1

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.26.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

श्रीभगवानुवाच

मल्ल‍क्षणमिमं कायं लब्ध्वा मद्धर्म आस्थित: ।

आनन्दं परमात्मानमात्मस्थं समुपैति माम् ॥ १ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

mal-lakṣaṇam imaṁ kāyaṁ

labdhvā mad-dharma āsthitaḥ

ānandaṁ paramātmānam

ātma-sthaṁ samupaiti mām

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Having achieved this human form of life, which affords one the opportunity to realize Me, and being situated in My devotional service, one can achieve Me, the reservoir of all pleasure and the Supreme Soul of all existence, residing within the heart of every living being.

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.

Human Life Offers the Opportunity to Realize Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Human life offers the opportunity to realize Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Through devotional service, one can achieve Him, the reservoir of all pleasure.

  2. 2

    The Lord is the Supreme Soul residing within the heart of every living being.

  3. 3

    Bad association can cause even spiritually liberated persons to fall. Association with saintly persons awakens spiritual intelligence and protects one from sexual attraction.

Key points from the purport
  • Within the material world the association of women is especially dangerous, and therefore in this chapter the Aila-gītā is spoken to prevent such a falldown.
  • One can be saved from sex attraction by association with saintly persons, who awaken one’s real spiritual intelligence.
  • Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa will speak to Uddhava the amazing song of Purūravā, also known as the Aila-gītā.

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 26: The Aila-gītā

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The jīva who has received a human body, which is in itself most conducive toward achieving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who has situated himself in the duties of devotional service to the Lord becomes capable of realizing Him, the very identity of spiritual bliss. Such a person, fully dedicated to the Supreme Personality, is liberated from the influence of Māyā ; even while continuing to reside in this world created by illusion he is totally untouched by it.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.26
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-bhagavān uvācathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said
  2. mat-lakṣaṇamin which I can be realized
  3. imamthis
  4. kāyamhuman body
  5. labdhvāhaving achieved
  6. mat-dharmein devotional service to Me
  7. āsthitaḥsituated
  8. ānandamwho is pure ecstasy
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 11.26

    In this verse: “devotional service”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 11.26

    In this verse: “protects”

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

Whose association helps awaken my spiritual intelligence?

Practice

Spend a few minutes today hearing from a saintly person about devotional service.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayHuman Life Offers the Opportunity to Realize KṛṣṇaThis 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 11.26.1? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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