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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 5: Nārada Concludes His Teachings to Vasudeva
11.5.1411.5.16

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.5.15

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śrī Camasasince 11.5.2inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → VasudevaThe nine Yogendras → King Nimi

द्विषन्त: परकायेषु स्वात्मानं हरिमीश्वरम् ।

मृतके सानुबन्धेऽस्मिन् बद्धस्‍नेहा: पतन्त्यध: ॥ १५ ॥

dviṣantaḥ para-kāyeṣu

svātmānaṁ harim īśvaram

mṛtake sānubandhe ’smin

baddha-snehāḥ patanty adhaḥ

Translation

The conditioned souls become completely bound in affection to their own corpselike material bodies and their relatives and paraphernalia. In such a proud and foolish condition, the conditioned souls envy other living entities as well as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who resides in the heart of all beings. Thus enviously offending others, the conditioned souls gradually fall down into hell.

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.

Envy Offends Others and the Indwelling Lord

  1. 1

    False pride binds conditioned souls to their corpselike material bodies and bodily relations. This attachment obscures their true position as eternal servants of God.

  2. 2

    Envy appears as cruelty toward animals, violence toward people and dishonest dealings. Such conduct also offends Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who dwells within everyone.

  3. 3

    Denying any living being superior to oneself expresses envy of the Supreme Lord. The verse warns that enviously offending others leads downward into hell.

Key points from the purport
  • Materialistic persons express their envy of animals by cruelly killing them.
  • Similarly, the conditioned souls become envious even of other human beings and of the Lord Himself, who dwells within everyone’s body.
  • Still, envious persons are enamored by the corpse of their material body and become further fascinated by their children and other bodily extensions.

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 5: Nārada Concludes His Teachings to Vasudeva

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

If because of excessive greed for one’s own pleasure one commits violence against living beings, he is also attacking Lord Śrī Hari, who is present in the bodies of all living entities as the Supersoul. Opposed to Lord Vāsudeva, ignorant self-cheaters completely carry out their own ruination and enter into hell.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.5
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. dviṣantaḥenvying
  2. para-kāyeṣu(the souls) within the bodies of others
  3. sva-ātmānamtheir own true self
  4. harim īśvaramthe Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari
  5. mṛtakein the corpse
  6. sa-anubandhetogether with its relations
  7. asminthis
  8. baddha-snehāḥtheir affection being fixed
  9. patantithey fall
  10. adhaḥdownward
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

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 11.5

    In this verse: “proud”, “offending”, “pride”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.5

    In this verse: “material”, “attachment”

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

How would remembering Hari within others change my response to someone I envy?

Practice

When envy arises today, pause and remember that the Supreme Lord dwells within that person.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayEnvy Offends Others and the Indwelling 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 11.5.15? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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