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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 8: The Story of Piṅgalā
11.8.3011.8.32

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.8.31

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The prostitute Piṅgalāsince 11.8.30inside 5 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Kṛṣṇa → UddhavaThe avadhūta → King YaduPiṅgalā → herself

सन्तं समीपे रमणं रतिप्रदं

वित्तप्रदं नित्यमिमं विहाय ।

अकामदं दु:खभयाधिशोक-

मोहप्रदं तुच्छमहं भजेऽज्ञा ॥ ३१ ॥

santaṁ samīpe ramaṇaṁ rati-pradaṁ

vitta-pradaṁ nityam imaṁ vihāya

akāma-daṁ duḥkha-bhayādhi-śoka-

moha-pradaṁ tuccham ahaṁ bhaje ’jñā

Translation

I am such a fool that I have given up the service of that person who, being eternally situated within my heart, is actually most dear to me. That most dear one is the Lord of the universe, who is the bestower of real love and happiness and the source of all prosperity. Although He is in my own heart, I have completely neglected Him. Instead I have ignorantly served insignificant men who can never satisfy my real desires and who have simply brought me unhappiness, fear, anxiety, lamentation and illusion.

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.

Serve Kṛṣṇa, the Lord Within the Heart

  1. 1

    Piṅgalā realizes that she neglected Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord eternally present within her heart. He is her dearest one and the bestower of real love, happiness and prosperity.

  2. 2

    She had expected happiness from insignificant men who could not satisfy her real desires. Serving them instead brought unhappiness, fear, anxiety, lamentation and illusion.

  3. 3

    Lord Kṛṣṇa is the actual enjoyer of everyone and everything. Rather than remaining proud of pleasing others, one must learn to please Him through pure, loving spiritual service.

Key points from the purport
  • She falsely thought they would bring her happiness and neglected to serve the actual Lord of the heart, Kṛṣṇa.
  • The prostitute was proud of her ability to please men, but she now laments that she did not try to please the Supreme Lord by loving service.
  • Lord Kṛṣṇa is the actual enjoyer of everyone and everything, but one must learn how to please the Lord by pure spiritual service.

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

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 8: The Story of Piṅgalā

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

A sage should also collect the essential truths from all scriptures, be they great or insignificant. The instruction received from the second insect, the honeybee, is that a mendicant sannyāsī should not save the food he begs for the sake of having it later that night or the next day, because if he does so, then just like the greedy honeybee he will be destroyed along with his hoard.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.8
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. santambeing
  2. samīpemost near (in my heart)
  3. ramaṇamthe most dear
  4. ratiactual love or pleasure
  5. pradamgiving
  6. vittaprosperity
  7. pradamgiving
  8. nityameternal
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 11.8

    In this verse: “illusion”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 11.8

    In this verse: “fear”

  • Prema · Transcendental love

    The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 11.8

    In this verse: “love”

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 give more attention to pleasing Kṛṣṇa rather than seeking satisfaction from others?

Practice

Take a quiet moment today to address Kṛṣṇa within your heart and express your desire to please Him through loving service.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayServe Kṛṣṇa, the Lord Within the HeartThis 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 11.8.31? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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