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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 6: The Yadu Dynasty Retires to Prabhāsa
11.6.48-4911.7.1

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.6.50

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 11.6.50inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → Uddhava

श्रीशुक उवाच

एवं विज्ञापितो राजन् भगवान् देवकीसुत: ।

एकान्तिनं प्रियं भृत्यमुद्धवं समभाषत ॥ ५० ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca

evaṁ vijñāpito rājan

bhagavān devakī-sutaḥ

ekāntinaṁ priyaṁ bhṛtyam

uddhavaṁ samabhāṣata

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King Parīkṣit, thus addressed, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī, began to reply confidentially to His dear, unalloyed servant Uddhava.

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.

Kṛṣṇa Teaches His Dear Servant

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and son of Devakī, begins replying confidentially to Uddhava. Uddhava is His dear, unalloyed servant.

  2. 2

    Conditioned living entities bind themselves more deeply in material existence through their movements, laughter, activities and words. Hearing and chanting about the Lord’s pastimes frees them from repeated birth and death.

  3. 3

    Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa will now explain this process of supreme liberation to His dearmost devotee Uddhava. The teaching directs attention toward hearing and chanting about the Lord in devotional service.

Key points from the purport
  • But if they engage in hearing and chanting about the pastimes of the Personality of Godhead, the conditioned souls will achieve liberation from the bondage of repeated birth and death.
  • This process of supreme liberation will now be elaborately described by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa to His dearmost devotee Śrī Uddhava.
  • Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.

The purport's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

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 6: The Yadu Dynasty Retires to Prabhāsa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

This chapter describes how Brahmā and other demigods, after offering prayers to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, requested the Lord to return to His own abode and how Uddhava, anticipating separation from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was very distressed and prayed to Śrī Kṛṣṇa that he might accompany Him on His return to that abode.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.6
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-śukaḥ uvācaŚukadeva Gosvāmī said
  2. evamin this way
  3. vijñāpitaḥrequested
  4. rājanO King
  5. bhagavānthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  6. devakī-sutaḥthe son of Devakī
  7. ekāntinamin private
  8. priyamdear
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 11.6

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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 11.6

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 11.6

    In this verse: “king”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I use my words today to hear about or glorify Kṛṣṇa rather than deepen material entanglement?

Practice

Read this translation aloud today, then spend a moment remembering Kṛṣṇa’s loving response to His dear servant Uddhava.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Teaches His Dear ServantThis 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 11.6.50? Get an answer from the verses themselves.