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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 4: Drumila Explains the Incarnations of Godhead to King Nimi
11.4.511.4.7

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.4.6

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śrī Drumilasince 11.4.2inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → VasudevaThe nine Yogendras → King Nimi

धर्मस्य दक्षदुहितर्यजनिष्ट मूर्त्यां

नारायणो नर ऋषिप्रवर: प्रशान्त: ।

नैष्कर्म्यलक्षणमुवाच चचार कर्म

योऽद्यापि चास्त ऋषिवर्यनिषेविताङ्‍‌घ्रि: ॥ ६ ॥

dharmasya dakṣa-duhitary ajaniṣṭa mūrtyāṁ

nārāyaṇo nara ṛṣi-pravaraḥ praśāntaḥ

naiṣkarmya-lakṣaṇam uvāca cacāra karma

yo ’dyāpi cāsta ṛṣi-varya-niṣevitāṅghriḥ

Translation

Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi, who is perfectly peaceful and is the best of sages, was born as the son of Dharma and his wife Mūrti, the daughter of Dakṣa. Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi taught the devotional service of the Lord, by which material work ceases, and He Himself perfectly practiced this knowledge. He is living even today, His lotus feet served by the greatest of saintly persons.

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.

Transform Ordinary Work Into Devotional Service

  1. 1

    Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi appeared as the son of Dharma and Mūrti. Perfectly peaceful, He both taught and practiced devotional service and is still served by great saintly persons.

  2. 2

    Devotional service is the living entity’s eternal nature, but the material concept of life covers our perception of it like a dream. Only devotional service brings naiṣkarmyam, the cessation of material work.

  3. 3

    Work for personal enjoyment brings bondage and trouble. Its results become fruitful when offered in service to the Personality of Godhead, who is their rightful enjoyer.

Key points from the purport
  • On the basis of these teachings, Nārada was able to describe naiṣkarmyam, or the devotional service of the Lord, which eradicates material work, as mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3.8): tantraṁ sātvatam ācaṣṭa naiṣkarmyaṁ karmaṇāṁ yataḥ.
  • Naiṣkarmyam, or the cessation of material work, is possible only by the devotional service of the Lord, as stated by Nārada Muni himself: naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam (Bhāg. 1.5.12).
  • In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is confirmed that the result of such fruitive work may be offered for the service of the Lord, otherwise it leads to material bondage.

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 11.4.6 quotesSB 1.3.8

On the basis of these teachings, Nārada was able to describe naiṣkarmyam, or the devotional service of the Lord, which eradicates material work, as mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3.8): tantraṁ sātvatam ācaṣṭa naiṣkarmyaṁ karmaṇāṁ yataḥ.

The purport of SB 11.4.6 quotesSB 1.5.12

Naiṣkarmyam, or the cessation of material work, is possible only by the devotional service of the Lord, as stated by Nārada Muni himself: naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam.

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 4: Drumila Explains the Incarnations of Godhead to King Nimi

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Incarnating in the form of Nara-Nārāyaṇa, the greatest of sages, from the womb of Mūrti, the daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Dharma, He preached by His own practical demonstration the science of naiṣkarmyam. When Cupid (Kandarpa) and his hosts were sent to Badarikāśrama by King Indra, who had become fearful and envious at seeing the austerities of Lord Nara-Nārāyaṇa, that best of sages welcomed Cupid as an honored guest.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.4
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. dharmasya(the wife) of Dharma
  2. dakṣa-duhitariby the daughter of Dakṣa
  3. ajaniṣṭawas born
  4. mūrtyāmby Mūrti
  5. nārāyaṇaḥ naraḥNara-Nārāyaṇa
  6. ṛṣi-pravaraḥthe best of sages
  7. praśāntaḥperfectly peaceful
  8. naiṣkarmya-lakṣaṇamcharacterized by the cessation of all material work
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 11.4

    In this verse: “devotional service”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 11.4

    In this verse: “knowledge”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.4

    In this verse: “material”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which result of my work could I offer for the Lord’s service instead of keeping only for myself?

Practice

Set aside a small part of today’s earnings or the result of one task for the Lord’s devotional service.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

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

The purport quotesSB 1.3.8SB 1.5.12

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 11.4's connections

Live this todayTransform Ordinary Work Into Devotional ServiceThis 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 11.4.6? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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