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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 27: Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship
11.27.38-4111.27.43

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.27.42

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.27.6inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

अभ्यर्च्याथ नमस्कृत्य पार्षदेभ्यो बलिं हरेत् ।

मूलमन्त्रं जपेद् ब्रह्म स्मरन्नारायणात्मकम् ॥ ४२ ॥

abhyarcyātha namaskṛtya

pārṣadebhyo baliṁ haret

mūla-mantraṁ japed brahma

smaran nārāyaṇātmakam

Translation

Having thus worshiped the Lord in the sacrificial fire, the devotee should offer his obeisances to the Lord’s personal associates by bowing down and should then present offerings to them. He should then chant quietly the mūla-mantra of the Deity of the Lord, remembering the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality, Nārāyaṇa.

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.

Remember the Absolute Truth as a person

  1. 1

    After worshiping the Lord in the sacrificial fire, the devotee should bow down to His personal associates.

  2. 2

    The devotee should then present offerings to those associates.

  3. 3

    The devotee should quietly chant the Deity’s mūla-mantra, remembering the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality, Nārāyaṇa.

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:

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. The worshiper should recite prayers from the Purāṇas and other sources, offer obeisances flat on the ground, beg for benediction, and place on himself the remnants of the Lord’s garlands.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.27
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. abhyarcyahaving thus worshiped
  2. athathen
  3. namaskṛtyaoffering his obeisances by bowing down
  4. pārṣadebhyaḥunto the Lord’s personal associates
  5. balimofferings
  6. harethe should present
  7. mūla-mantramthe basic mantra for the Deity
  8. japethe should chant quietly
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”, “worshiped”, “worshiping”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

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

    In this verse: “chant”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 11.27

    In this verse: “absolute truth”

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 remembering the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality shape your approach to worship?

Practice

Spend a quiet minute remembering Nārāyaṇa as the Supreme Personality, as this verse directs.

Live this todayRemember the Absolute Truth as a personThis 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 11.27.42? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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