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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
11.7.5211.7.54

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.7.53

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The brāhmaṇasince 11.7.32inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → UddhavaThe avadhūta → King Yadu

कपोत: कश्चनारण्ये कृतनीडो वनस्पतौ ।

कपोत्या भार्यया सार्धमुवास कतिचित् समा: ॥ ५३ ॥

kapotaḥ kaścanāraṇye

kṛta-nīḍo vanaspatau

kapotyā bhāryayā sārdham

uvāsa katicit samāḥ

Translation

There once was a pigeon who lived in the forest along with his wife. He had built a nest within a tree and lived there for several years in her company.

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.

A Shared Home in the Forest

  1. 1

    A pigeon lived in the forest with his wife.

  2. 2

    He had built their nest within a tree.

  3. 3

    He lived there in his wife’s company for several years. The verse introduces their shared home and lasting companionship.

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:

From the earth he had learned how to be sober, and from the two manifestations of earth, namely the mountain and the tree, he had learned, respectively, how to serve others and how to dedicate one’s whole life to the benefit of others.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.7
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kapotaḥpigeon
  2. kaścanaa certain
  3. araṇyein the forest
  4. kṛta-nīḍaḥhaving built his nest
  5. vanaspatauin a tree
  6. kapotyāwith a female pigeon
  7. bhāryayāhis wife
  8. sa-ardhamas his companion
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 11.7

    In this verse: “companionship”

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

What place do home and companionship occupy in my daily life?

Practice

Take a quiet moment today to notice how your home and companionship shape your routine.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayA Shared Home in the ForestThis 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 11.7.53? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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