1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

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

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 2 · The Cosmic Manifestation · 10 chapters

12345678910

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 2 · Chapter 3: Pure Devotional Service: The Change in Heart
2.3.2-72.3.9

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.3.8

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 2.3.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

धर्मार्थ उत्तमश्लोकं तन्तु: तन्वन् पितृन् यजेत् ।

रक्षाकाम: पुण्यजनानोजस्कामो मरुद्गणान् ॥ ८ ॥

dharmārtha uttama-ślokaṁ

tantuḥ tanvan pitṝn yajet

rakṣā-kāmaḥ puṇya-janān

ojas-kāmo marud-gaṇān

Translation

One should worship Lord Viṣṇu or His devotee for spiritual advancement in knowledge, and for protection of heredity and advancement of a dynasty one should worship the various demigods.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Worship Viṣṇu for Spiritual Advancement

  1. 1

    For spiritual advancement in knowledge, one should worship Lord Viṣṇu or His devotee. Religion means progress toward reviving our eternal relation with the Lord.

  2. 2

    Spiritual advancement includes understanding the Lord's impersonal effulgence, His localized Paramātmā feature and ultimately His personal feature.

  3. 3

    Those seeking the progress of temporary bodily relations take shelter of the Pitās and demigods. Their destinations remain within the universe, whereas reaching the spiritual planets in the brahmajyoti is the highest perfection.

Key points from the purport
  • The path of religion entails making progress on the path of spiritual advancement, ultimately reviving the eternal relation with Lord Viṣṇu in His impersonal effulgence, His localized Paramātmā feature, and ultimately His personal feature by spiritual advancement in knowledge.
  • And one who wants to establish a good dynasty and be happy in the progress of temporary bodily relations should take shelter of the Pitās and the demigods in other pious planets.
  • Such different classes of worshipers of different demigods may ultimately reach the respective planets of those demigods within the universe, but he who reaches the spiritual planets in the brahmajyoti achieves the highest perfection.

Śrīla Prabhupāda'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

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

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

Further reading

Chapter 3: Pure Devotional Service: The Change in Heart

Everyone should worship the Supreme Lord and engage the senses in devotion that changes the heart.

Back to this verse in chapter 2.3
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. dharma-arthaḥfor spiritual advancement
  2. uttama-ślokamthe Supreme Lord or persons attached to the Supreme Lord
  3. tantuḥfor offspring
  4. tanvanand for their protection
  5. pitṝnthe residents of Pitṛloka
  6. yajetmust worship
  7. rakṣā-kāmaḥone who desires protection
  8. puṇya-janānpious persons
  9. ojaḥ-kāmaḥone who desires strength should worship
  10. marut-gaṇānthe demigods
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 2.3

    In this verse: “devotee”, “worship”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 2.3

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “understanding”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 2.3

    In this verse: “protection”

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 my eternal relation with the Lord than to temporary bodily relations?

Practice

Offer a brief prayer to Lord Viṣṇu asking for spiritual advancement and revival of your eternal relation with Him.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

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

1 lecture given on it · quoted in 2 more lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 2 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 todayWorship Viṣṇu for Spiritual AdvancementThis 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 2.3.8? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories