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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
11.5.3711.5.41

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 11.5.38-40

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
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

कृतादिषु प्रजा राजन् कलाविच्छन्ति सम्भवम् ।

कलौ खलु भविष्यन्ति नारायणपरायणा: ।

क्व‍‍चित् क्व‍‍चिन्महाराज द्रविडेषु च भूरिश: ॥ ३८ ॥

ताम्रपर्णी नदी यत्र कृतमाला पयस्विनी ।

कावेरी च महापुण्या प्रतीची च महानदी ॥ ३९ ॥

ये पिबन्ति जलं तासां मनुजा मनुजेश्वर ।

प्रायो भक्ता भगवति वासुदेवेऽमलाशया: ॥ ४० ॥

kṛtādiṣu prajā rājan

kalāv icchanti sambhavam

kalau khalu bhaviṣyanti

nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ

kvacit kvacin mahā-rāja

draviḍeṣu ca bhūriśaḥ

tāmraparṇī nadī yatra

kṛtamālā payasvinī

kāverī ca mahā-puṇyā

pratīcī ca mahā-nadī

ye pibanti jalaṁ tāsāṁ

manujā manujeśvara

prāyo bhaktā bhagavati

vāsudeve ’malāśayāḥ

Translation

My dear King, the inhabitants of Satya-yuga and other ages eagerly desire to take birth in this Age of Kali, since in this age there will be many devotees of the Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa. These devotees will appear in various places but will be especially numerous in South India. O master of men, in the Age of Kali those persons who drink the waters of the holy rivers of Draviḍa-deśa, such as the Tāmraparṇī, Krtamālā, Payasvinī, the extremely pious Kāverī and the Pratīcī Mahānadī, will almost all be purehearted devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva.

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.

Seek Devotee Association and Chant Everywhere

  1. 1

    Inhabitants of earlier ages desire birth in Kali-yuga to taste pure love of Kṛṣṇa. Many devotees will appear in this age, especially in South India.

  2. 2

    Without association with the Lord’s devotees, no one can become an advanced devotee. Even a moment’s association with a pure devotee can bring all success, making such association especially valuable for devotional service.

  3. 3

    Kṛṣṇa’s holy name is powerful everywhere, at all times and in all circumstances—not merely in Kali-yuga. His name is eternally nondifferent from Him, and Kṛṣṇa is eternally the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • Therefore, since in Kali-yuga other Vedic processes collapse due to the unfavorable condition, and since the only authorized Vedic process is the devotional chanting of the Lord’s holy name, which is available to everyone, there will undoubtedly be innumerable Vaiṣṇavas, or devotees of the Lord, in this age.
  • The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is potent everywhere, at all times and in all circumstances; therefore one should always chant the holy names of the Lord, either in Kali-yuga, Satya-yuga, in heaven, in hell or in Vaikuṇṭha.
  • According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī the words saṅkīrtana-prāyaiḥ, which mean “mainly by the process of saṅkīrtana,” indicate that although other processes such as Deity worship may be performed to some extent in Kali-yuga, such processes, in order to be successful, must be favorably connected with the chanting of the holy names 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· 5

The purport of SB 11.5.38-40 quotesSB 6.14.5

Therefore it is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.14.5): “O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa.

The purport of SB 11.5.38-40 quotesCC Madhya 22.54

Similarly, it is stated in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 22.54): ‘sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga’ — sarva-śāstre kaya

The purport of SB 11.5.38-40 quotesSB 2.1.11

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.1.11), Śukadeva Gosvāmī has stated: “O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint…

The purport of SB 11.5.38-40 quotesSB 3.33.7

To be chanting the holy name of Your Lordship, they must have bathed at holy places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas and fulfilled everything required.”

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 9.74

The Kāverī is mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.40) as a very pious river.

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. kṛta-ādiṣuof Satya and the other earlier ages
  2. prajāḥthe inhabitants
  3. rājanO King
  4. kalauin Kali-yuga
  5. icchantithey want
  6. sambhavambirth
  7. kalauin Kali
  8. khalucertainly
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 11.5

    In this verse: “devotees”, “devotional service”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 11.5

    In this verse: “king”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

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

    In this verse: “holy name”

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 can I make more room for association with devotees and chanting in my daily life?

Practice

Contact a devotee today and ask for an opportunity to chant the Lord’s holy names together.

5

The story around it

The story 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 6.14.5SB 2.1.11

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 11.5's connections

Live this todaySeek Devotee Association and Chant EverywhereThis 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 11.5.38-40? Get an answer from the verses themselves.