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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
11.26.3011.26.32

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.26.31

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.26.25inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

यथोपश्रयमाणस्य भगवन्तं विभावसुम् ।

शीतं भयं तमोऽप्येति साधून् संसेवतस्तथा ॥ ३१ ॥

yathopaśrayamāṇasya

bhagavantaṁ vibhāvasum

śītaṁ bhayaṁ tamo ’pyeti

sādhūn saṁsevatas tathā

Translation

Just as cold, fear and darkness are eradicated for one who has approached the sacrificial fire, so dullness, fear and ignorance are destroyed for one engaged in serving the devotees of the Lord.

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.

Serving Devotees Removes Inner Darkness

  1. 1

    Approaching a sacrificial fire removes cold, fear and darkness. Similarly, serving the Lord's devotees destroys dullness, fear and ignorance.

  2. 2

    Those absorbed in fruitive activities lack higher awareness of the Supreme Lord and the soul. They pursue sense gratification and ambitions more or less mechanically.

  3. 3

    Serving the lotus feet of the Lord removes such dullness, fear and ignorance. The fire comparison shows the benefit of drawing near through service.

Key points from the purport
  • Those engaged in fruitive activities are certainly dull; they lack higher awareness of the Supreme Lord and the soul.
  • Materialists are engaged more or less mechanically in gratifying their senses and ambitions, and thus they are considered dull or practically unconscious.
  • All such dullness, fear and ignorance are removed when one serves the lotus feet of the Lord, just as cold, fear and darkness are removed when one approaches a fire.

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:

In their association there are constant discussions about the Supreme Lord, by serving whom the spirit soul completely eradicates his material sins and obtains pure devotional service. And when one gains the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the original ocean of unlimited perfect qualities, what else remains to be gained?
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.26
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yathājust as
  2. upaśrayamāṇasyaof one who is approaching
  3. bhagavantamthe powerful
  4. vibhāvasumfire
  5. śītamcold
  6. bhayamfear
  7. tamaḥdarkness
  8. apyetiare removed
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: “devotees”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 11.26

    In this verse: “fear”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.26

    In this verse: “sense gratification”

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

Where has mechanical pursuit of my ambitions displaced awareness of the Lord and the soul?

Practice

Offer one small, practical act of help to a devotee of the Lord today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayServing Devotees Removes Inner DarknessThis 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 11.26.31? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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