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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.5.33

Who is speaking and story frame

ध्येयं सदा परिभवघ्नमभीष्टदोहं

तीर्थास्पदं शिवविरिञ्चिनुतं शरण्यम् ।

भृत्यार्तिहं प्रणतपाल भवाब्धिपोतं

वन्दे महापुरुष ते चरणारविन्दम् ॥ ३३ ॥

dhyeyaṁ sadā paribhava-ghnam abhīṣṭa-dohaṁ

tīrthāspadaṁ śiva-viriñci-nutaṁ śaraṇyam

bhṛtyārti-haṁ praṇata-pāla bhavābdhi-potaṁ

vande mahā-puruṣa te caraṇāravindam

Translation

My dear Lord, You are the Mahā-puruṣa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and I worship Your lotus feet, which are the only eternal object of meditation. Those feet destroy the embarrassing conditions of material life and freely award the greatest desire of the soul, the attainment of pure love of Godhead. My dear Lord, Your lotus feet are the shelter of all holy places and of all saintly authorities in the line of devotional service and are honored by powerful demigods like Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā. My Lord, You are so kind that You willingly protect all those who simply bow down to You with respect, and thus You mercifully relieve all the distress of Your servants. In conclusion, my Lord, Your lotus feet are actually the suitable boat for crossing over the ocean of birth and death, and therefore even Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva seek shelter at Your lotus feet.”

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.

Take Shelter of the Lord’s Lotus Feet

  1. 1

    Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is Kṛṣṇa Himself, teaches chanting the holy names as the process of meditation for this age. The Lord has invested all His potencies in His holy name, with no restrictions of time or place for chanting.

  2. 2

    Taking shelter of the Lord does not make the material body permanent. It loosens our false identification with the body and mind, allowing us to be blissful even in adverse conditions.

  3. 3

    The Lord’s lotus feet are the shelter of all holy places and the boat for crossing the ocean of birth and death. They award pure love of Godhead, and a sincere devotee should continue devotional service with confidence in the Lord’s protection.

Key points from the purport
  • In this verse the word tīrthāspadam means that the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahāprabhu are the shelter of all holy places.
  • Still, they meticulously worship the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
  • One should not neglect the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, taking Him to be an ordinary person, and instead accept the temporary, useless shelter offered by the illusory energy of the Lord.

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· 3

Quoted in the purport ofSB 2.1.10

vande mahāpuruṣa te caraṇāravindam. In other words, puruṣa means the enjoyer, and mahāpuruṣa means the supreme enjoyer, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.24.50

Lord Viṣṇu is known as śiva-viriñci-nutam, for He is always worshiped by Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.24.74

Lord Kṛṣṇa is known as śiva-viriñci-nutam.

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:

In Kali-yuga many people in South India (Draviḍa-deśa), in places where the Tāmraparṇī, Kṛtamālā, Kāverī and Mahānadī rivers flow, will be dedicated to the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. Persons who give up all false ego and take full shelter of Lord Hari are no longer debtors to the demigods or anyone else.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.5
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. dhyeyamfit to be meditated upon
  2. sadāalways
  3. paribhavathe insults of material existence
  4. ghnamwhich destroy
  5. abhīṣṭathe true desire of the soul
  6. dohamwhich amply reward
  7. tīrthaof all the holy places and great saintly personalities
  8. āspadamthe abode
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “worship”, “devotee”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 11.5

    In this verse: “protect”, “protection”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    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

When difficulties arise, how can I turn toward the Lord’s shelter rather than identify only with my body and mind?

Practice

During one difficult moment today, pause to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and sincerely ask for shelter at the Lord’s lotus feet.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayTake Shelter of the Lord’s Lotus FeetThis 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 11.5.33? Get an answer from the verses themselves.