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

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Canto 2 · The Cosmic Manifestation · 10 chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

How to study this verse, in six steps

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.

Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›

Canto 2 · Chapter 1: The First Step in God Realization

2.1.4 2.1.6

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.1.5

Mukti· Liberation

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 2.1.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

A turning point forMahārāja Parīkṣit· Hearing begins

तस्माद्भारत सर्वात्मा भगवानीश्वरो हरि: ।

श्रोतव्य: कीर्तितव्यश्च स्मर्तव्यश्चेच्छताभयम् ॥ ५ ॥

tasmād bhārata sarvātmā

bhagavān īśvaro hariḥ

śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca

smartavyaś cecchatābhayam

Translation

O descendant of King Bharata, one who desires to be free from all miseries must hear about, glorify and also remember the Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul, the controller and the savior from all miseries.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Hear, Glorify and Remember the Lord

1
To become free from the cycle of fruitive action, we should work on behalf of the Supreme Lord rather than for our own enjoyment. He is the ultimate proprietor of everything.
2
First hear carefully about the Lord, then glorify His acts and deeds. Through this process, constant remembrance of His transcendental nature becomes possible.
3
Hearing about and glorifying the Lord keep us in His association and bring freedom from fear. This process is open to everyone and molds our activities into spiritual activities.

Key points from the purport

Therefore, one should first of all hear about the Lord.
The Lord is the Supersoul (Paramātmā) present in the hearts of all living beings, and thus by the above hearing and glorifying process, the Lord invites the association of all in His creation.
By hearing about and glorifying the Lord, all a person’s activities become molded into spiritual activities, and thus all conceptions of material miseries become completely vanquished.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 3

The purport of SB 2.1.5 quotesBG 9.27

This process of doing work is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.27) also, where instruction is given for working on the Lord’s account.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 6.4.29

Simply by understanding the Supreme Lord, one goes beyond birth, death, old age and disease.

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 22.110

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.1.5).

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Death anxiety → Steady attention. The answer to mortality begins with spiritual focus.

This verse is a turning point of the arc: Hearing, glorifying and remembering.

Chapters 1–3 of Canto 2: The practice of hearing, remembering and devotion. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 1: The First Step in God Realization

Śukadeva describes the value of conscious living, self-control, and meditation on the Lord’s universal form.

Back to this verse in chapter 2.1

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

tasmātfor this reason
bhārataO descendant of Bharata
sarvātmāthe Supersoul
bhagavānthe Personality of Godhead
īśvaraḥthe controller
hariḥthe Lord, who vanquishes all miseries
śrotavyaḥis to be heard
kīrtitavyaḥto be glorified

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
Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting
Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 2.1
In this verse: “glorify”, “hearing”
Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment
Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 2.1
In this verse: “free from”
Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership
Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 2.1
In this verse: “king”

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How could one ordinary task become work done on the Lord’s behalf rather than only for my own enjoyment?

Practice

Read this translation aloud, speak one phrase glorifying the Lord, and pause briefly to remember Him.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

6 lectures given on it · quoted in 7 more lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Show 4 more lectures on it

Quoted in 7 other lectures

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayHear, Glorify and Remember the LordThis 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 2.1.5? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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