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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 28: Jñāna-yoga
11.28.1511.28.17

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.28.16

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.28.12inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

देहेन्द्रियप्राणमनोऽभिमानो

जीवोऽन्तरात्मा गुणकर्ममूर्ति: ।

सूत्रं महानित्युरुधेव गीत:

संसार आधावति कालतन्त्र: ॥ १६ ॥

dehendriya-prāṇa-mano-’bhimāno

jīvo ’ntar-ātmā guṇa-karma-mūrtiḥ

sūtraṁ mahān ity urudheva gītaḥ

saṁsāra ādhāvati kāla-tantraḥ

Translation

The living entity who falsely identifies with his body, senses, life air and mind, and who dwells within these coverings, assumes the form of his own materially conditioned qualities and work. He is designated variously in relation to the total material energy, and thus, under the strict control of supreme time, he is forced to run here and there within material existence.

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.

Accept Your Identity as Kṛṣṇa’s Eternal Servant

  1. 1

    False ego identifies the soul with the body, senses, life air and mind. Under the control of time, the conditioned soul moves through material existence according to his qualities and work.

  2. 2

    Time here refers directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who keeps conditioned souls bound under nature’s laws. Liberation is personal: attaining one’s eternal body, senses, mind and intelligence in His association.

  3. 3

    Loving service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness revives our eternal, liberated personality. Accepting oneself as Lord Kṛṣṇa’s eternal servant conquers false ego.

Key points from the purport
  • False ego, which causes the living entity to suffer material existence, is here described in detail as the illusory identification with the material body, senses, life air and mind.
  • Liberation is not an impersonal experience; liberation is attainment of one’s eternal body, senses, mind and intelligence in the association of the Personality of Godhead.
  • One automatically conquers the false ego by accepting oneself, in pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to be the eternal servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

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 28: Jñāna-yoga

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Although material existence is unreal, those who lack discrimination remain entangled in the cycle of birth and death because of their absorption in sense gratification. All the phases of material life — such as birth, death, sorrow and happiness — belong not to the soul but to the materialistic false ego.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.28
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. dehawith the material body
  2. indriyasenses
  3. prāṇalife air
  4. manaḥand mind
  5. abhimānaḥwho is falsely identifying
  6. jīvaḥthe living entity
  7. antaḥsituated within
  8. ātmāthe soul
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.28

    In this verse: “materially”, “material”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 11.28

    In this verse: “false ego”

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 would accepting myself as Kṛṣṇa’s eternal servant change the way I approach today’s activities?

Practice

Before one act of loving service today, quietly reflect, “I am the eternal servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

Live this todayAccept Your Identity as Kṛṣṇa’s Eternal ServantThis 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.

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