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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 3: Liberation from the Illusory Energy
11.3.4511.3.47

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.3.46

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śrī Āvirhotrasince 11.3.43inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → VasudevaThe nine Yogendras → King Nimi

वेदोक्तमेव कुर्वाणो नि:सङ्गोऽर्पितमीश्वरे ।

नैष्कर्म्यां लभते सिद्धिं रोचनार्था फलश्रुति: ॥ ४६ ॥

vedoktam eva kurvāṇo

niḥsaṅgo ’rpitam īśvare

naiṣkarmyaṁ labhate siddhiṁ

rocanārthā phala-śrutiḥ

Translation

By executing without attachment the regulated activities prescribed in the Vedas, offering the results of such work to the Supreme Lord, one attains the perfection of freedom from the bondage of material work. The material fruitive results offered in the revealed scriptures are not the actual goal of Vedic knowledge, but are meant for stimulating the interest of the performer.

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.

Offer Work’s Results to the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    Human life is an opportunity to understand our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The actual success of life is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

  2. 2

    By performing prescribed activities without attachment and offering their results to the Lord, one gradually becomes free from material bondage. Ordinary activities can thus be brought to the platform of pure devotional service.

  3. 3

    The material rewards promised in the Vedas encourage people to begin the process of purification; they are not its final goal. The highest perfection is pure love of Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • It is stated, parama-kāruṇiko vedaḥ — “Vedic knowledge is supremely merciful” — because it engages the animalistic human beings in a gradual process of purification that culminates in full consciousness of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • Therefore, the Vedic literature prescribes a gradual process of purification in which the conditioned soul learns to offer the results of his material activities to the Supreme Lord, thus spiritualizing those activities.
  • By offering the fruits of one’s ordinary activities to the Supreme Lord, one gradually understands that the Lord Himself, and not material sense gratification, is the actual goal 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· 2

The purport of SB 11.3.46 quotesSB 2.1.2

“Those persons who are materially engrossed, being blind to the knowledge of ultimate truth, have many subject matters for hearing in human society, O Emperor.”

The purport of SB 11.3.46 quotesBG 2.42

Being desirous of sense gratification and opulent life, they say that there is nothing more than this.”

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:

The material fruitive results offered in the revealed scriptures are not the actual goal of Vedic knowledge, but are meant for stimulating the interest of the performer. If a conditioned soul worships the Supreme Lord Hari by following the regulations found in Vedic literatures such as the tantras, he will quickly become free from the bondage of false ego.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.3
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. veda-uktamthe regulated activities described by the Vedas
  2. evacertainly
  3. kurvāṇaḥperforming
  4. nihsaṅgaḥwithout attachment
  5. arpitamoffered
  6. īśvareto the Supreme Lord
  7. naiṣkarmyamof liberation from material work and its reactions
  8. labhateone achieves
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 11.3

    In this verse: “attachment”, “material”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 11.3

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “understand”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotional service”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I seeking only the rewards of my work, or learning to please Kṛṣṇa through it?

Practice

Choose one ordinary duty today and consciously offer its result to Kṛṣṇa rather than seeking only your own enjoyment.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayOffer Work’s Results to 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 11.3.46? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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