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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 · Text 11.28.32

Who is speaking and story frame

यदि स्म पश्यत्यसदिन्द्रियार्थं

नानानुमानेन विरुद्धमन्यत् ।

न मन्यते वस्तुतया मनीषी

स्वाप्नं यथोत्थाय तिरोदधानम् ॥ ३२ ॥

yadi sma paśyaty asad-indriyārthaṁ

nānānumānena viruddham anyat

na manyate vastutayā manīṣī

svāpnaṁ yathotthāya tirodadhānam

Translation

Although a self-realized soul may sometimes see an impure object or activity, he does not accept it as real. By logically understanding impure sense objects to be based on illusory material duality, the intelligent person sees them to be contrary to and distinct from reality, in the same way that a man awakening from sleep views his fading dream.

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.

Distinguish Illusion from Reality

  1. 1

    A self-realized soul may see an impure object or activity without accepting it as factual reality.

  2. 2

    An intelligent person recognizes polluted material sense objects as creations of the Lord’s illusory energy, based on material duality.

  3. 3

    Just as someone awake distinguishes a fading dream from real life, realized intelligence distinguishes illusion from reality.

Key points from the purport
  • A sane person can clearly distinguish between a dream experience and his real life.
  • Similarly a manīṣī, or intelligent person, can clearly perceive polluted material sense objects to be creations of the Lord’s illusory energy and not factual reality.
  • This is the practical test of realized intelligence.

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:

He knows that the soul is changeless and that any contrary conception imposed on the pure self is sheer illusion. If, during the immature stage of spiritual practice, one suffers physical disease or other disturbances, the Vedas enjoin that he should certainly take proper measures to eradicate the problem.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.28
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yadiif
  2. smaever
  3. paśyatihe sees
  4. asatimpure
  5. indriya-arthamsense objects
  6. nānāof their being based on duality
  7. anumānenaby the logical inference
  8. viruddhamrefuted
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “material”, “illusion”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “understanding”

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

When a sense object attracts me, do I pause to consider its illusory nature?

Practice

When one distracting sense attraction arises today, pause and reflect on the verse’s image of a fading dream.

Live this todayDistinguish Illusion from RealityThis 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 11.28.32? Get an answer from the verses themselves.