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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 11.3.6

Who is speaking and story frame

कर्माणि कर्मभि: कुर्वन्सनिमित्तानि देहभृत् ।

तत्तत्कर्मफलं गृह्णन्भ्रमतीह सुखेतरम् ॥ ६ ॥

karmāṇi karmabhiḥ kurvan

sa-nimittāni deha-bhṛt

tat tat karma-phalaṁ gṛhṇan

bhramatīha sukhetaram

Translation

Impelled by deep-rooted material desires, the embodied living entity engages his active sense organs in fruitive activities. He then experiences the results of his material actions by wandering throughout this world in so-called happiness and distress.

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.

Past Actions Do Not Remove Present Choice

  1. 1

    Deep-rooted material desires impel the embodied soul to perform fruitive activities. Accepting their results, the soul wanders through so-called happiness and distress.

  2. 2

    Past decisions constrain present circumstances but do not eliminate new choices. Although karma determines a particular body, human life still offers scope for free will and decision-making.

  3. 3

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is therefore not unjust in holding human beings responsible for present actions. Māyā is so powerful that a proud conditioned soul may think he is enjoying even in a hellish condition.

Key points from the purport
  • The argument may be given that if a living entity were subject to the results of his previous activities there would be no scope for free will; once having committed a sinful action, the living entity would be bound in an endless chain of suffering, being perpetually subject to previous reactions.
  • According to this speculation there cannot be a just and omniscient God, since the living entity is forced to commit sinful activities by the reactions of his previous activities, which were reactions to still previous activities.
  • Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be considered unjust for holding the living entity in human life responsible for his present activities despite the living entity’s undergoing the reactions of his previous work.

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:

Impelled by the reactions of his own activities, he repeatedly takes birth in various species of life and thus suffers greatly until the time of the cosmic annihilation. When the annihilation is imminent, the soul of the universal form withdraws the entire material creation within Himself, and then He Himself enters into the original cause of all causes.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.3
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. karmāṇivarious kinds of fruitive work
  2. karmabhiḥby the karmendriyas, the organs of action
  3. kurvanperforming
  4. sa-nimittāniwhich are imbued with motivating desires
  5. deha-bhṛtthe proprietor of the material body
  6. tat tatvarious
  7. karma-phalamresults of work
  8. gṛhṇanaccepting
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “material”, “māyā”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 11.3

    In this verse: “distress”

  • Dainya · Humility

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

    In this verse: “proud”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What responsible choice remains available to me within a circumstance I cannot presently change?

Practice

Name one difficult circumstance, then write down and carry out one responsible choice still available within it.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayPast Actions Do Not Remove Present ChoiceThis 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 11.3.6? Get an answer from the verses themselves.