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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 7: Lord Kṛṣṇa Instructs Uddhava
11.7.3011.7.32

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.7.31

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Kṛṣṇasince 11.7.31inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → UddhavaThe avadhūta → King Yadu

श्रीभगवानुवाच

यदुनैवं महाभागो ब्रह्मण्येन सुमेधसा ।

पृष्ट: सभाजित: प्राह प्रश्रयावनतं द्विज: ॥ ३१ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

yadunaivaṁ mahā-bhāgo

brahmaṇyena su-medhasā

pṛṣṭaḥ sabhājitaḥ prāha

praśrayāvanataṁ dvijaḥ

Translation

Lord Kṛṣṇa continued: The intelligent King Yadu, always respectful to the brāhmaṇas, waited with bowed head as the brāhmaṇa, pleased with the King’s attitude, began to reply.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

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.

Listen with Humility and Respect

  1. 1

    Lord Kṛṣṇa describes King Yadu as intelligent and always respectful toward brāhmaṇas.

  2. 2

    After asking his questions, Yadu waited with his head bowed.

  3. 3

    The brāhmaṇa was pleased with the King's attitude and began to reply.

How it feels

Grief and dependence → Detachment. The temporary world becomes a source of spiritual instruction.

Chapters 7–9 of Canto 11: The avadhuta's twenty-four teachers. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 7: Lord Kṛṣṇa Instructs Uddhava

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In this regard, Lord Kṛṣṇa began to describe an ancient conversation between a brāhmaṇa avadhūta and the great king Yadu. The son of Yayāti, Mahārāja Yadu, once encountered an avadhūta who was traveling about, here and there, in great transcendental ecstasy and was acting unpredictably, just like someone who has become haunted by a ghost.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.7
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-bhagavān uvācathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said
  2. yadunāby King Yadu
  3. evamin this way
  4. mahā-bhāgaḥgreatly fortunate
  5. brahmaṇyenawho was very respectful to brāhmaṇas
  6. su-medhasāand intelligent
  7. pṛṣṭaḥasked
  8. sabhājitaḥhonored
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 11.7

    In this verse: “king”

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

Do I give a spiritual teacher patient, respectful attention after asking a question?

Practice

In one conversation today, ask respectfully and listen to the full reply without interrupting.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayListen with Humility and RespectThis 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 11.7.31? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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