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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 11.3.32

Who is speaking and story frame

क्व‍‍चिद् रुदन्त्यच्युतचिन्तया क्व‍‍चि-

द्धसन्ति नन्दन्ति वदन्त्यलौकिका: ।

नृत्यन्ति गायन्त्यनुशीलयन्त्यजं

भवन्ति तूष्णीं परमेत्य निवृता: ॥ ३२ ॥

kvacid rudanty acyuta-cintayā kvacid

dhasanti nandanti vadanty alaukikāḥ

nṛtyanti gāyanty anuśīlayanty ajaṁ

bhavanti tūṣṇīṁ param etya nirvṛtāḥ

Translation

Having achieved love of Godhead, the devotees sometimes weep loudly, absorbed in thought of the infallible Lord. Sometimes they laugh, feel great pleasure, speak out loud to the Lord, dance or sing. Such devotees, having transcended material, conditioned life, sometimes imitate the unborn Supreme by acting out His pastimes. And sometimes, achieving His personal audience, they remain peaceful and silent.

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.

Pure Love Is Devotion’s Mature Fruit

  1. 1

    Pure love of Godhead is the mature fruit of devotional service. Absorbed in the Lord, devotees may cry, laugh, dance, sing or remain peacefully silent in His presence.

  2. 2

    When all the devotee’s senses are absorbed in Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the devotee transcends material conditioned life. Full, unfailing devotional service carries one beyond the modes of material nature.

  3. 3

    One should give up envy and false prestige and humbly seek the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s mercy. A sincere soul who serves a bona fide spiritual master, the representative of that mercy, achieves life’s highest perfection.

Key points from the purport
  • Nandanti: When Kṛṣṇa actually reveals His transcendental form to the devotee, the devotee experiences the highest transcendental bliss.
  • Vadanti: The devotee says to the Lord, “O Kṛṣṇa, after so many days I have finally achieved You.”
  • When all of the devotee’s senses are absorbed in Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the devotee has successfully transcended the material condition of life.

The purport's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 11.3.32 quotesBG 14.26

Alaukikāḥ, or the transcendental platform, is explained by the Lord in Bhagavad-gītā (14.26): “One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.”

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Foreboding → Devotional urgency. Uddhava realizes that Kṛṣṇa's visible association is nearing an end.

Chapters 1–6 of Canto 11: The Yadu curse, the nine Yogendras and farewell signs. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 3: Liberation from the Illusory Energy

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

By learning the science of devotional service and practically engaging in the devotional service of the Lord, the devotee comes to the stage of love of Godhead. When completely devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, the devotee easily crosses over the illusory energy, māyā, which is extremely difficult to cross.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.3
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kvacitsometimes
  2. rudantithey cry
  3. acyutaof the infallible Supreme Lord
  4. cintayāby the thought
  5. kvacitsometimes
  6. hasantithey laugh
  7. nandantitake great pleasure
  8. vadantispeak
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 11.3

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

  • Viraha · Longing in separation

    Love and remembrance experienced in apparent absence. · Theme in SB 11.3

    In this verse: “weep”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.3

    In this verse: “material”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Where might envy or false prestige be keeping me from humbly receiving spiritual guidance?

Practice

Identify one attitude of envy or false prestige in yourself, and offer a brief prayer for humility and the Lord’s mercy.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Live this todayPure Love Is Devotion’s Mature FruitThis 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 11.3.32? Get an answer from the verses themselves.