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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.
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Canto 11 · Chapter 28: Jñāna-yoga
11.28.2611.28.28

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.28.27

Mukti· Liberation
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

तथापि सङ्ग: परिवर्जनीयो

गुणेषु मायारचितेषु तावत् ।

मद्भ‍‍क्तियोगेन द‍ृढेन यावद्

रजो निरस्येत मन:कषाय: ॥ २७ ॥

tathāpi saṅgaḥ parivarjanīyo

guṇeṣu māyā-raciteṣu tāvat

mad-bhakti-yogena dṛḍhena yāvad

rajo nirasyeta manaḥ-kaṣāyaḥ

Translation

Nevertheless, until by firmly practicing devotional service to Me one has completely eliminated from his mind all contamination of material passion, one must very carefully avoid associating with the material modes, which are produced by My illusory energy.

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.

Practice Steady Devotion Without Premature Claims

  1. 1

    Until material passion is completely removed from the mind, one must carefully avoid association with the material modes. Firm devotional service to the Lord brings this purification.

  2. 2

    A beginner should not claim to be liberated or imitate advanced devotees to justify sense gratification. Such pride leads one to neglect actual devotional service.

  3. 3

    Firm, steady loving service under the direction of higher authorities makes advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness easy and sublime.

Key points from the purport
  • The word tathāpi in this verse indicates that even though the material nature is nondifferent from the Supreme Lord (as elaborately described in this chapter), one who has yet to conquer material desire should not artificially associate with material things, declaring them to be nondifferent from the Lord.
  • A neophyte devotee who presumes himself liberated is impelled by the mode of passion to become falsely proud of his position, and thus he neglects the actual process of devotional service to the Lord.
  • One must have firm and steady engagement in the loving service of the Lord, under the direction of higher authorities; then advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be easy and sublime.

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:

Nevertheless, until one becomes perfectly fixed in bhakti-yoga, pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord, one should carefully avoid contacting material sense objects. An aspiring devotee may meet various obstacles and fall down, but in his next life he will continue his practice by dint of what he has already accomplished in devotional service.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.28
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tathā apinevertheless
  2. saṅgaḥassociation
  3. parivarjanīyaḥmust be rejected
  4. guṇeṣuwith the modes
  5. māyā-raciteṣuproduced by the illusory material energy
  6. tāvatfor that long
  7. mat-bhakti-yogenaby devotional service to Me
  8. dṛḍhenafirm
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 11.28

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotees”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “material”, “sense gratification”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 11.28

    In this verse: “contamination”, “purification”

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

Am I using spiritual understanding to excuse an attachment rather than to practice devotional service?

Practice

Set aside one tempting distraction today and use that time for a devotional duty recommended by your spiritual authorities.

Live this todayPractice Steady Devotion Without Premature ClaimsThis 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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