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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.9.6

Who is speaking and story frame

तेषामभ्यवहारार्थं शालीन् रहसि पार्थिव ।

अवघ्नन्त्या: प्रकोष्ठस्थाश्चक्रु: शङ्खा: स्वनं महत् ॥ ६ ॥

teṣām abhyavahārārthaṁ

śālīn rahasi pārthiva

avaghnantyāḥ prakoṣṭha-sthāś

cakruḥ śaṅkhāḥ svanaṁ mahat

Translation

The girl went to a private place and began to make preparations so that the unexpected male guests could eat. As she was beating the rice, the conchshell bracelets on her arms were colliding and making a loud noise.

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.

Notice Noise While Serving

  1. 1

    The girl went to a private place to prepare food for her unexpected guests.

  2. 2

    She began beating rice so that the guests could eat.

  3. 3

    As she worked, the conchshell bracelets on her arms collided and made a loud noise.

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 9: Detachment from All that Is Material

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

She went inside and began to prepare food for the unexpected guests by beating rice. At that time her conchshell bracelets were making a loud noise, rattling against each other, and in order to stop this sound she broke off the bracelets one by one until at last only one remained on each arm.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 11.9
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. teṣāmof the guests
  2. abhyavahāra-arthamso that they could eat
  3. śālīnrice
  4. rahasibeing alone
  5. pārthivaO King
  6. avaghnantyāḥof her who was beating
  7. prakoṣṭhaon her forearms
  8. sthāḥsituated
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

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 unnecessary noise do I notice while carrying out a helpful task?

Practice

While preparing food or helping someone today, notice any noise made by your own movements or belongings.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayNotice Noise While ServingThis 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 11.9.6? Get an answer from the verses themselves.