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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 29: Bhakti-yoga
11.29.2111.29.23

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.29.22

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Supreme Personality of Godheadsince 11.29.8inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

एषा बुद्धिमतां बुद्धिर्मनीषा च मनीषिणाम् ।

यत् सत्यमनृतेनेह मर्त्येनाप्नोति मामृतम् ॥ २२ ॥

eṣā buddhimatāṁ buddhir

manīṣā ca manīṣiṇām

yat satyam anṛteneha

martyenāpnoti māmṛtam

Translation

This process is the supreme intelligence of the intelligent and the cleverness of the most clever, for by following it one can in this very life make use of the temporary and unreal to achieve Me, the eternal reality.

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.

Real Intelligence Is Surrender to Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    The most intelligent person offers the temporary material body and possessions to Lord Kṛṣṇa with love and without personal motivation.

  2. 2

    Seeking prestige in service, philosophical sophistication or skill in accumulating money is not the highest intelligence.

  3. 3

    Real intelligence is surrender to Lord Kṛṣṇa without personal desire or duplicity. Through this surrender, one uses the temporary to attain the eternal Absolute Truth.

Key points from the purport
  • As described in this chapter, one who desires personal prestige in the Lord’s service cannot be considered intelligent and clever.
  • The Lord here states that the most intelligent and clever person is the devotee who offers his temporary, illusory material body and possessions to Him with love and without personal motivation.
  • In other words, real intelligence is to actually surrender to Lord Kṛṣṇa, without personal desire or duplicity.

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 29: Bhakti-yoga

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Because this eternal process of devotional service to the Supreme Lord is transcendental and has been established by the Lord Himself, it can never, to the slightest extent, be defeated or prove fruitless. When one offers himself completely to the Supreme Lord with exclusive devotion, the Lord becomes particularly pleased, and thus the devotee achieves immortality, becoming qualified to obtain opulence equal to that of the Lord.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.29
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. eṣāthis
  2. buddhi-matāmof the intelligent
  3. buddhiḥthe intelligence
  4. manīṣāthe cleverness
  5. caand
  6. manīṣiṇāmof the clever
  7. yatwhich
  8. satyamthe real
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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 11.29

    In this verse: “philosophical”, “absolute truth”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.29

    In this verse: “material”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 11.29

    In this verse: “surrender”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Where am I seeking personal recognition rather than simply serving Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Use one possession in service to Kṛṣṇa today without seeking praise.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayReal Intelligence Is Surrender to KṛṣṇaThis 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 11.29.22? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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