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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
11.3.52-5311.3.55

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.3.54

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

आत्मानम् तन्मयं ध्यायन् मूर्तिं सम्पूजयेद्धरे: ।

शेषामाधाय शिरसा स्वधाम्न्युद्वास्य सत्कृतम् ॥ ५४ ॥

ātmānam tan-mayam dhyāyan

mūrtiṁ sampūjayed dhareḥ

śeṣām ādhāya śirasā

sva-dhāmny udvāsya sat-kṛtam

Translation

The worshiper should become fully absorbed in meditating upon himself as an eternal servant of the Lord and should thus perfectly worship the Deity, remembering that the Deity is also situated within his heart. Then he should take the remnants of the Deity’s paraphernalia, such as flower garlands, upon his head and respectfully put the Deity back in His own place, thus concluding the worship.

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.

Worship as the Lord’s Eternal Servant

  1. 1

    The basic principle of Deity worship is to understand oneself as an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord. Worship purifies us and helps us realize this relationship.

  2. 2

    The servant is qualitatively one with the Lord, like a tiny spark of the original fire, but is not the Supreme Lord Himself. To worship oneself as the Supreme is a misidentification and an offense against the Lord.

  3. 3

    Worship the Deity while remembering that He is also situated within your heart. Conclude worship by respectfully taking His remnants, such as flower garlands, upon your head and returning Him to His own place.

Key points from the purport
  • One who is purified by worshiping the Deity form of the Lord can understand that he, the worshiper, is an eternal servant of the Lord and is qualitatively one with the Lord, being like a tiny spark of the original fire, the Personality of Godhead.
  • The basic principle of Deity worship is that one must understand oneself to be an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord.
  • Therefore the word tan-maya in this verse should not be offensively understood to mean that the worshiper becomes equal to his eternal worshipable object.

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

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:

Situated within the temporary and constantly changing material world, the Supreme Lord remains eternal and unchanging. He cannot be understood by the unaided mind or senses, and He is transcendental to the manifestation of the material world, which takes place as the subtle cause and material effect visible in the appearance of gross material objects.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.3
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ātmānamoneself
  2. tatin the Lord
  3. mayamabsorbed
  4. dhyāyanso meditating
  5. mūrtimthe personal form
  6. sampūjayetshould fully worship
  7. hareḥof Lord Hari
  8. śeṣāmthe remnants of worship
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 11.3

    In this verse: “worshiper”, “worship”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “understand”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 11.3

    In this verse: “offense”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How would remembering that I am the Lord’s eternal servant change my attitude toward worship?

Practice

Before worship today, pause and reflect: “I am the Lord’s eternal servant; He is my eternal shelter.”

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayWorship as the Lord’s Eternal ServantThis 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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