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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
11.5.4111.5.43

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.5.42

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
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

स्वपादमूलं भजत: प्रियस्य

त्यक्तान्यभावस्य हरि: परेश: ।

विकर्म यच्चोत्पतितं कथञ्चिद्

धुनोति सर्वं हृदि सन्निविष्ट: ॥ ४२ ॥

sva-pāda-mūlam bhajataḥ priyasya

tyaktānya-bhāvasya hariḥ pareśaḥ

vikarma yac cotpatitaṁ kathañcid

dhunoti sarvaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ

Translation

One who has thus given up all other engagements and has taken full shelter at the lotus feet of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is very dear to the Lord. Indeed, if such a surrendered soul accidentally commits some sinful activity, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seated within everyone’s heart, immediately takes away the reaction to such sin.

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.

The Lord Protects His Surrendered Devotee

  1. 1

    Devotional service is itself the most purifying process. A sincere, surrendered devotee who accidentally stumbles should immediately resume pure devotional service.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa, seated within the heart, removes the reactions to such accidental sinful activity. His devotees are very dear to Him, and He considers their sincere intentions.

  3. 3

    A devotee does not exploit the Lord’s mercy or deliberately violate His orders. Remembering His lotus feet and actively serving Him gradually purify the heart even of accidental falldowns.

Key points from the purport
  • In the previous verse it was clearly described that a fully surrendered devotee of the Supreme Lord has no need to perform ordinary, worldly duties.
  • Now in this verse it is revealed that devotional service is so pure and potent that a surrendered devotee of the Lord has no need to perform any other purificatory process.
  • Even Yamarāja, the lord of death, has no power to punish a surrendered devotee who has accidentally committed sinful activities.

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

The purport of SB 11.5.42 quotesBG 9.30

And thus the Lord will protect him, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.30): The word tyaktānya-bhāvasya in this verse is very significant.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 3.12.34

The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.42) confirms this as follows: “Any person who is engaged one hundred percent in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, at His lotus feet, is very dear to the Personality of Godhead Hari, and the Lord, being situated in the heart of the devotee, excuses all kinds of sins committed by chance.”

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 22.143

This is described in the following verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.42).

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:

The Personality of Godhead, Śrī Hari, appears in the hearts of devotees who know no other shelter than Him and causelessly drives away all evil desires from the devotees’ hearts. Videharāja Nimi, having heard elaborate descriptions of bhāgavata-dharma from the mouths of the nava-yogendras, offered worship to them with a satisfied mind.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.5
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sva-pāda-mūlamthe lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, the shelter of the devotees
  2. bhajataḥwho is engaged in worshiping
  3. priyasyawho is very dear to Kṛṣṇa
  4. tyaktagiven up
  5. anyafor others
  6. bhāvasyaof one whose disposition or inclination
  7. hariḥthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  8. para-īśaḥthe Supreme Lord
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

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 11.5

    In this verse: “surrendered”, “shelter”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 11.5

    In this verse: “sinful”, “purifying”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

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

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 I stumble, do I sincerely return to service without treating the Lord’s mercy as permission to do wrong?

Practice

Spend a quiet minute remembering the Lord’s lotus feet, then resume one devotional activity with care.

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.

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

Live this todayThe Lord Protects His Surrendered DevoteeThis 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 11.5.42? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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