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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 12 · The Age of Deterioration · 13 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 12 · Chapter 3: The Bhūmi-gītā
12.3.4512.3.47

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 12.3.46

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 12.3.18inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रुत: सङ्कीर्तितो ध्यात: पूजितश्चाद‍ृतोऽपि वा ।

नृणां धुनोति भगवान् हृत्स्थो जन्मायुताशुभम् ॥ ४६ ॥

śrutaḥ saṅkīrtito dhyātaḥ

pūjitaś cādṛto ’pi vā

nṛṇāṁ dhunoti bhagavān

hṛt-stho janmāyutāśubham

Translation

If a person hears about, glorifies, meditates upon, worships or simply offers great respect to the Supreme Lord, who is situated within the heart, the Lord will remove from his mind the contamination accumulated during many thousands of lifetimes.

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.

Devotional Service Cleanses the Heart

  1. 1

    The Supreme Lord is situated within the heart. He removes contamination accumulated during many thousands of lifetimes.

  2. 2

    The verse names hearing, glorifying, meditating and worshiping as ways to turn toward Him.

  3. 3

    Even offering great respect to the Lord brings His cleansing mercy. Devotional service centers on Him, and He performs the purification.

How it feels

Civilizational dread → Dispassion. Social and cosmic impermanence expose the limits of worldly plans.

Chapters 1–4 of Canto 12: The deterioration of Kali and universal dissolution. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 3: The Bhūmi-gītā

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Living entities contaminated by the influence of Kali do not worship the Supreme Lord, Śrī Hari, even though they can be freed from all bondage and easily achieve the supreme destination simply by chanting the glories of His name and taking shelter of Him. But if somehow or other the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes manifest within the hearts of the conditioned souls in Kali-yuga, then all faults of place, time and personality inherent in the age will be destroyed.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 12.3
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrutaḥheard
  2. saṅkīrtitaḥglorified
  3. dhyātaḥmeditated upon
  4. pūjitaḥworshiped
  5. caand
  6. ādṛtaḥvenerated
  7. apieven
  8. vāor
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 12.3

    In this verse: “worships”, “devotional service”, “worshiping”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 12.3

    In this verse: “glorifies”, “hearing”, “glorifying”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 12.3

    In this verse: “contamination”, “purification”, “cleansing”

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

Which of these ways of serving the Lord can I practice attentively today?

Practice

Read this verse aloud once, then offer a respectful prayer to the Supreme Lord within your heart.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevotional Service Cleanses 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 12.3.46? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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