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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 31: The Disappearance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa
11.31.411.31.6

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.31.5

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 11.31.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

भगवान् पितामहं वीक्ष्य विभूतीरात्मनो विभु: ।

संयोज्यात्मनि चात्मानं पद्मनेत्रे न्यमीलयत् ॥ ५ ॥

bhagavān pitāmahaṁ vīkṣya

vibhūtīr ātmano vibhuḥ

saṁyojyātmani cātmānaṁ

padma-netre nyamīlayat

Translation

Seeing before Him Brahmā, the grandfather of the universe, along with the other demigods, who are all His personal and powerful expansions, the Almighty Lord closed His lotus eyes, fixing His mind within Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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.

Fix the Mind on the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    Brahmā and the other demigods are Lord Kṛṣṇa’s powerful expansions. The Lord had descended in answer to their prayers for protection.

  2. 2

    Each demigod wanted to take the Lord to his own planet. To avoid these many social obligations, Kṛṣṇa closed His eyes as if absorbed in samādhi.

  3. 3

    The Lord also instructed yogīs to leave this world without attachment to mystic opulences. At departure, one should fix the mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, Lord Kṛṣṇa had previously answered the prayers of Lord Brahmā and the other demigods, who had requested the Lord to descend within this universe for the protection of His servants, the demigods.
  • Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī adds that Lord Kṛṣṇa closed His eyes to instruct the yogīs how to leave this mortal world without attachment to one’s mystic opulences.
  • All the demigods, including Brahmā, are mystic expansions of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and yet the Lord closed His eyes to emphasize that one should fix one’s mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead when departing from this world.

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

Sorrow and shock → Remembrance and acceptance. Devotees face a devastating change in visible association.

Chapters 30–31 of Canto 11: The Yadu dynasty and Kṛṣṇa disappear. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 31: The Disappearance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

This chapter describes the return of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to His own abode, along with all the Yadus. Upon learning from Dāruka that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa had returned to His abode, Vasudeva and all the others remaining in Dvārakā became very much agitated by lamentation and went out from the city to find Him.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.31
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. bhagavānthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  2. pitāmahamLord Brahmā
  3. vīkṣyaseeing
  4. vibhūtīḥthe powerful expansions, the demigods
  5. ātmanaḥHis own
  6. vibhuḥthe Almighty Lord
  7. saṁyojyafixing
  8. ātmaniin Himself
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.31

    In this verse: “attachment”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 11.31

    In this verse: “protection”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What attachment distracts you from fixing your mind on Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Set aside one minute today to turn your attention away from your accomplishments and toward Lord Kṛṣṇa.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayFix the Mind on 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.

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