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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
11.5.2811.5.31

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 11.5.29-30

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śrī Karabhājanasince 11.5.20inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → VasudevaThe nine Yogendras → King Nimi

नमस्ते वासुदेवाय नम: सङ्कर्षणाय च ।

प्रद्युम्नायानिरुद्धाय तुभ्यं भगवते नम: ॥ २९ ॥

नारायणाय ऋषये पुरुषाय महात्मने ।

विश्वेश्वराय विश्वाय सर्वभूतात्मने नम: ॥ ३० ॥

namas te vāsudevāya

namaḥ saṅkarṣaṇāya ca

pradyumnāyāniruddhāya

tubhyaṁ bhagavate namaḥ

nārāyaṇāya ṛṣaye

puruṣāya mahātmane

viśveśvarāya viśvāya

sarva-bhūtātmane namaḥ

Translation

“Obeisances to You, O Supreme Lord Vāsudeva, and to Your forms of Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. O Supreme Personality of Godhead, all obeisances unto You. O Lord Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi, O creator of the universe, best of personalities, master of this cosmos and original form of the universe, O Supersoul of all created entities, all homage unto You.”

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.

Give Up False Ego and Serve

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa eternally manifests the fourfold expansion of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. Although the Absolute Truth is one, He displays unlimited powers and opulences through His many plenary forms.

  2. 2

    The living entity’s natural position is to serve the Lord, and material nature is meant to be used for His satisfaction. Offering these prayers helps us give up false ego and remember our eternal dependence on Him.

  3. 3

    Deity worship, prominent in Dvāpara-yuga, is ultimately aimed at hearing and chanting the Lord’s glories. The worshiper glorifies His names, forms, qualities, paraphernalia, entourage and pastimes.

Key points from the purport
  • Thus these prayers, as mentioned in this verse, are offered to the Supreme Lord in accordance with the Pañcarātra and the Vedic mantras so that one may become fixed in remembering his eternal subordination to the Absolute Truth.
  • The supreme living entity, Kṛṣṇa, eternally manifests Himself as the catur-vyūha, or quadruple plenary expansion.
  • In Dvāpara-yuga, Deity worship of the Lord is prominent.

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

Quoted in the purport ofSB 8.23.16

Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ. Instead of wasting time performing Vedic sacrifices, those who are intelligent, those who possess good brain substance, should take to the chanting of the Lord’s holy name and thus perform sacrifice perfectly.

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 20.338

This is a prayer from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.29) spoken by Karabhājana Muni when he was questioned by Mahārāja Nimi, the King of Videha, about the incarnations in specific yugas and their method of worship.

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 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. namaḥobeisances
  2. teunto You
  3. vāsudevāyaVāsudeva
  4. namaḥobeisances
  5. saṅkarṣaṇāyato Saṅkarṣaṇa
  6. caand
  7. pradyumnāyato Pradyumna
  8. aniruddhāyato Aniruddha
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 11.5

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”, “glorifies”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 11.5

    In this verse: “worship”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 11.5

    In this verse: “give up”

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

Where might you replace a desire to be important with a desire to serve the Lord?

Practice

Read the translated prayer aloud once, offering obeisances with the thought, “I am Your servant.”

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayGive Up False Ego and ServeThis 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 11.5.29-30? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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