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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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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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
11.5.211.5.4

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.5.3

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

य एषां पुरुषं साक्षादात्मप्रभवमीश्वरम् ।

न भजन्त्यवजानन्ति स्थानाद् भ्रष्टा: पतन्त्यध: ॥ ३ ॥

ya eṣāṁ puruṣaṁ sākṣād

ātma-prabhavam īśvaram

na bhajanty avajānanti

sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ

Translation

If any of the members of the four varṇas and four āśramas fail to worship or intentionally disrespect the Personality of Godhead, who is the source of their own creation, they will fall down from their position into a hellish state of life.

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.

Respect the Lord and His Spiritual Master

  1. 1

    Some people neglect worship through ignorance; others know of the Lord’s supreme position but deliberately disrespect Him. The Supreme Lord is the source of their own creation and of everything.

  2. 2

    Social or spiritual standing cannot protect someone who neglects or disrespects the Personality of Godhead. Such a person falls from the varṇāśrama system into increasingly degraded conditions.

  3. 3

    Learning to worship a bona fide spiritual master properly leads to proper worship of the Supreme Lord. Without the spiritual master’s mercy, even a seemingly religious person can become atheistic and offend the Lord.

Key points from the purport
  • The words na bhajanti in this verse refer to those who out of ignorance do not worship the Supreme Lord, whereas the word avajānanti refers to those who have actually been informed of the supreme position of the Lord but still show Him disrespect.
  • Those who foolishly do not inquire into the position of the Personality of Godhead, as well as those who disrespect the Lord in spite of having heard of His transcendental position, will certainly fall down from the varṇāśrama-dharma system, as described by the words sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ.
  • Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has pointed out that the original cause of offending the Lord and falling down from one’s position is one’s not learning how to properly worship a bona fide spiritual master.

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· 4

The purport of SB 11.5.3 quotesBG 10.8

In fact, the Supreme Lord is the source of everything, as described in Bhagavad-gītā (10.8): ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 11.5.5

Although foolish materialistic followers of the varṇāśrama system desire to maintain their exalted status as Āryans, or twice-born men, and at the same time neglect the Personality of Godhead, it is clearly stated in the Bhāgavatam (11.5.3), sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ: such persons inevitably fall from their position into a degraded condition of life.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 11.18.43

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.3), na bhajanty avajānanti sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ: even though one may be advanced in the performance of Vedic rituals and customs, without worshiping the Supreme Lord one will certainly fall down.

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 24.142

This is also a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.3).

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 the members of the four varṇas and four āśramas do not worship Lord Śrī Hari, who is Himself directly the origin of their own creation, they will simply fall down. Among these classes, women and śūdras, who generally have no contact with the hearing and chanting of hari-kathā, are on account of their very ignorance special candidates for the mercy of great souls.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.5
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yaḥone who
  2. eṣāmof them
  3. puruṣaṁthe Supreme Lord
  4. sākṣātdirectly
  5. ātma-prabhavamthe source of their own creation
  6. īśvaramthe supreme controller
  7. nado not
  8. bhajantiworship
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

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 11.5

    In this verse: “varṇas”, “āśramas”, “religious”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “worship”

  • Dainya · Humility

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

    In this verse: “offend”

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

Am I willing to learn respectful worship, rather than relying on my position or knowledge?

Practice

Offer respectful obeisances to a bona fide spiritual master today, remembering that this respect supports proper worship of the Lord.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRespect the Lord and His Spiritual MasterThis 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 11.5.3? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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