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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 8: Mārkaṇḍeya’s Prayers to Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi
12.8.4412.8.46

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 12.8.45

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣisince 12.8.40inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इतीश तवात्मबन्धो

मायामया: स्थितिलयोदयहेतवोऽस्य ।

लीला धृता यदपि सत्त्वमयी प्रशान्त्यै

नान्ये नृणां व्यसनमोहभियश्च याभ्याम् ॥ ४५ ॥

sattvaṁ rajas tama itīśa tavātma-bandho

māyā-mayāḥ sthiti-layodaya-hetavo ’sya

līlā dhṛtā yad api sattva-mayī praśāntyai

nānye nṛṇāṁ vyasana-moha-bhiyaś ca yābhyām

Translation

O my Lord, O supreme friend of the conditioned soul, although for the creation, maintenance and annihilation of this world You accept the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance, which constitute Your illusory potency, You specifically employ the mode of goodness to liberate the conditioned souls. The other two modes simply bring them suffering, illusion and fear.

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.

Dedicate Your Activities to Lord Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Lord Brahmā’s creation, Lord Śiva’s destruction and Lord Viṣṇu’s maintenance are all pastimes of the Absolute Truth, Lord Kṛṣṇa. Ultimately, only Lord Viṣṇu can grant liberation from material illusion.

  2. 2

    Passionate and ignorant activities bring suffering, illusion and fear to ourselves and others. They should be given up so that we can become firmly situated in goodness.

  3. 3

    The essence of goodness is to renounce selfish interest in all activities. One should dedicate one’s entire being to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the source of our existence.

Key points from the purport
  • The words līlā dhṛtāḥ indicate that the creative activities of Lord Brahmā, the destructive activities of Lord Śiva and the sustaining functions of Lord Viṣṇu are all pastimes of the Absolute Truth, Lord Kṛṣṇa.
  • Our passionate and ignorant activities cause great suffering, illusion and fear for us and others; therefore they should be given up.
  • The essence of goodness is to renounce selfish interest in all one’s activities and thus dedicate one’s entire being to the Supreme Being, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the source of our existence.

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

Inquiry → Reverence. The transmission of sacred knowledge continues beyond the king's life.

Chapters 7–8 of Canto 12: The Vedic corpus and Mārkaṇḍeya's devotion. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 8: Mārkaṇḍeya’s Prayers to Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Attaining Your lotus feet is the only auspicious goal for the conditioned souls, and service to You fulfills all their desires. Your pastimes, enacted in the mode of pure goodness, can award everyone salvation from material life.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 12.8
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sattvamgoodness
  2. rajaḥpassion
  3. tamaḥignorance
  4. itithe modes of nature thus termed
  5. īśaO Lord
  6. tavaYour
  7. ātma-bandhoO supreme friend of the soul
  8. māyā-mayāḥproduced from Your personal energy
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 12.8

    In this verse: “illusion”, “material”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 12.8

    In this verse: “suffering”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 12.8

    In this verse: “fear”

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 activity could I turn away from selfish interest and dedicate to Lord Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Choose one task today and begin it with a prayer to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa rather than your own selfish interest.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDedicate Your Activities to Lord KṛṣṇaThis 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 12.8.45? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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