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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
11.28.1911.28.21

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.28.20

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
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

विज्ञानमेतत्‍त्रियवस्थमङ्ग

गुणत्रयं कारणकार्यकर्तृ ।

समन्वयेन व्यतिरेकतश्च

येनैव तुर्येण तदेव सत्यम् ॥ २० ॥

vijñānam etat triy-avastham aṅga

guṇa-trayaṁ kāraṇa-kārya-kartṛ

samanvayena vyatirekataś ca

yenaiva turyeṇa tad eva satyam

Translation

The material mind manifests in three phases of consciousness — wakefulness, sleep and deep sleep — which are products of the three modes of nature. The mind further appears in three different roles — the perceiver, the perceived and the regulator of perception. Thus the mind is manifested variously throughout these threefold designations. But it is the fourth factor, existing separately from all this, that alone constitutes the Absolute Truth.

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.

All Perception Depends on the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    The material mind appears in wakefulness, sleep and deep sleep, which are products of the three modes of nature.

  2. 2

    It also appears as the perceiver, the perceived and the regulator of perception. The Absolute Truth is the fourth factor, existing separately from these material divisions.

  3. 3

    Everything is illuminated by the Personality of Godhead’s original illumination. Our entire range of perception, cognition and sensitivity is an insignificant expansion of His.

Key points from the purport
  • As stated in Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.2.15), tam eva bhāntam anubhāti sarvaṁ/ tasya bhāsā sarvam idaṁ vibhāti: “Everything radiates its illumination in pursuance of His original illumination; His light illuminates everything in this universe.”
  • As thus described, the entire range of perception, cognition and sensitivity is an insignificant expansion of the perception, cognition and sensitivity of the Personality of Godhead.

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:

Every created thing in this universe is a material product of the three modes of nature, is subject to sensory perception, and is essentially unreal. Actually, the designations of “good” and “bad” that we assign to the various objects and activities of this world are all superficial.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.28
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. vijñānam(the mind, whose symptom is) full knowledge
  2. etatthis
  3. tri-avasthamexisting in three conditions (wakeful consciousness, sleep and deep sleep)
  4. aṅgaMy dear Uddhava
  5. guṇa-trayammanifesting through the three modes of nature
  6. kāraṇaas the subtle cause ( adhyātma)
  7. kāryathe gross product ( adhibhūta)
  8. kartṛand the producer ( adhidaiva)
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 11.28

    In this verse: “absolute truth”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “material”

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 might recognizing the source of my perception change the way I regard my own understanding?

Practice

Pause once while seeing or thinking today, and reflect that all perception and understanding depend on the Personality of Godhead.

Live this todayAll Perception Depends on the Supreme LordThis 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 11.28.20? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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