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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 11.27.38-41

Who is speaking and story frame

तप्तजाम्बूनदप्रख्यं शङ्खचक्रगदाम्बुजै: ।

लसच्चतुर्भुजं शान्तं पद्मकिञ्जल्कवाससम् ॥ ३८ ॥

स्फुरत्किरीटकटककटिसूत्रवराङ्गदम् ।

श्रीवत्सवक्षसं भ्राजत्कौस्तुभं वनमालिनम् ॥ ३९ ॥

ध्यायन्नभ्यर्च्य दारूणि हविषाभिघृतानि च ।

प्रास्याज्यभागावाघारौ दत्त्वा चाज्यप्लुतं हवि: ॥ ४० ॥

जुहुयान्मूलमन्त्रेण षोडशर्चावदानत: ।

धर्मादिभ्यो यथान्यायं मन्त्रै: स्विष्टिकृतं बुध: ॥ ४१ ॥

tapta-jāmbūnada-prakhyaṁ

śaṅkha-cakra-gadāmbujaiḥ

lasac-catur-bhujaṁ śāntaṁ

padma-kiñjalka-vāsasam

sphurat-kirīṭa-kaṭaka

kaṭi-sūtra-varāṅgadam

śrīvatsa-vakṣasaṁ bhrājat-

kaustubhaṁ vana-mālinam

dhyāyann abhyarcya dārūṇi

haviṣābhighṛtāni ca

prāsyājya-bhāgāv āghārau

dattvā cājya-plutaṁ haviḥ

juhuyān mūla-mantreṇa

ṣoḍaśarcāvadānataḥ

dharmādibhyo yathā-nyāyaṁ

mantraiḥ sviṣṭi-kṛtaṁ budhaḥ

Translation

The intelligent devotee should meditate upon that form of the Lord whose color is like molten gold, whose four arms are resplendent with the conchshell, disc, club and lotus flower, and who is always peaceful and dressed in a garment colored like the filaments within a lotus flower. His helmet, bracelets, belt and fine arm ornaments shine brilliantly. The symbol of Śrīvatsa is on His chest, along with the glowing Kaustubha gem and a garland of forest flowers. The devotee should then worship that Lord by taking pieces of firewood soaked in the sacrificial ghee and throwing them into the fire. He should perform the ritual of āghāra, presenting into the fire the various items of oblation drenched in ghee. He should then offer to sixteen demigods, beginning with Yamarāja, the oblation called sviṣṭi-kṛt, reciting the basic mantras of each deity and the sixteen-line Puruṣa-sūkta hymn. Pouring one oblation after each line of the Puruṣa-sūkta, he should utter the particular mantra naming each deity.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

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.

Meditate on the Lord’s radiant form

  1. 1

    The intelligent devotee should meditate on the peaceful, four-armed Lord, whose color resembles molten gold. He holds a conchshell, disc, club and lotus flower.

  2. 2

    The Lord wears brilliant ornaments and a garment colored like lotus filaments. His chest bears Śrīvatsa, the glowing Kaustubha gem and a garland of forest flowers.

  3. 3

    The devotee should worship Him with ghee-soaked firewood and the āghāra offerings. The prescribed sviṣṭi-kṛt oblations to sixteen demigods, beginning with Yamarāja, accompany their mantras and the sixteen-line Puruṣa-sūkta hymn.

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 27: Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Then he should present clothing and ornaments, sprinkle water on the vessels and other paraphernalia to be used in the worship, and offer water for bathing the Deity’s feet, arghya, water for washing His mouth, fragrant oils, incense, lamps, flowers and food preparations. After this, one should worship the Lord’s personal servants and bodyguards, His consort energies, and the spiritual masters by chanting their respective mūla-mantras.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.27
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. taptamolten
  2. jāmbū-nadaof gold
  3. prakhyamthe color
  4. śaṅkhawith His conchshell
  5. cakradisc
  6. gadāclub
  7. ambujaiḥand lotus flower
  8. lasatbrilliant
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 11.27

    In this verse: “devotee”, “worship”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 11.27

    In this verse: “reciting”

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

Which detail of the Lord’s peaceful form helps you focus your meditation?

Practice

Reread the description of the Lord’s form, then spend one minute remembering His four arms and what He holds.

Live this todayMeditate on the Lord’s radiant formThis 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 11.27.38-41? Get an answer from the verses themselves.