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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

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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 2 · Chapter 4: The Process of Creation
2.4.162.4.18

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.4.17

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 2.4.12inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तपस्विनो दानपरा यशस्विनो

मनस्विनो मन्त्रविद: सुमङ्गला: ।

क्षेमं न विन्दन्ति विना यदर्पणं

तस्मै सुभद्रश्रवसे नमो नम: ॥ १७ ॥

tapasvino dāna-parā yaśasvino

manasvino mantra-vidaḥ sumaṅgalāḥ

kṣemaṁ na vindanti vinā yad-arpaṇaṁ

tasmai subhadra-śravase namo namaḥ

Translation

Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the all-auspicious Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa again and again because the great learned sages, the great performers of charity, the great workers of distinction, the great philosophers and mystics, the great chanters of the Vedic hymns and the great followers of Vedic principles cannot achieve any fruitful result without dedication of such great qualities to the service of the Lord.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Dedicate Your Qualities to the Lord

  1. 1

    Learning, charity, leadership, philosophy and religious practices lead to perfection only when employed in the Lord’s service. Without this dedication, even great qualities can become sources of trouble.

  2. 2

    Personal selfishness and extended selfishness have no qualitative difference. Our true self-interest reaches perfection when it agrees with the Lord’s interest.

  3. 3

    The aim of work, charity and other endeavors should be the Lord’s pleasure. Hearing about Him in Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam helps us become God conscious.

Key points from the purport
  • Advancement of learning, a charitable disposition, political, social or religious leadership of human society, philosophical speculations, the practice of the yoga system, expertise in the Vedic rituals, and all similar high qualities in man serve one in the attainment of perfection only when they are employed in the service of the Lord.
  • Similarly, advancement of learning, economic development, philosophical research, study in the Vedic literature or even the execution of pious activities (like charity, opening of hospitals, and the distribution of food grains) should be done in relation with the Lord.
  • And to become God conscious one has to hear about the all-auspicious Lord, as He is described in literature like the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

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 2.4.17 quotesBG 9.27

In the Bhagavad-gītā (9.27) the same principle is confirmed where it is said that whatever we may give in charity and whatever we may observe in austerity must be given over to the Lord or be done on His account only.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 2.9.36

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that neither the ascetic, nor one who is greatly munificent, nor one who is famous, nor the great philosopher, nor the great occultist, nor anyone else can achieve the desired result without being engaged in the service of the Lord.

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 22.20

This is also a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.17).

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

Uncertainty → Awe. The scale of reality widens dramatically.

Chapters 4–7 of Canto 2: The creation, cosmic Person and incarnations. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 4: The Process of Creation

Parīkṣit fixes his mind on Kṛṣṇa and asks about creation; Śukadeva offers prayers before answering.

Back to this verse in chapter 2.4
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tapasvinaḥthe great learned sages
  2. dāna-parāḥthe great performer of charity
  3. yaśasvinaḥthe great worker of distinction
  4. manasvinaḥthe great philosophers or mystics
  5. mantra-vidaḥthe great chanter of the Vedic hymns
  6. su-maṅgalāḥstrict followers of Vedic principles
  7. kṣemamfruitful result
  8. nanever
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 2.4

    In this verse: “philosophers”, “philosophy”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 2.4

    In this verse: “chanters”, “hearing”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 2.4

    In this verse: “principles”, “religious”

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 could one of my abilities or daily efforts be directed toward the Lord’s pleasure rather than my own satisfaction?

Practice

Choose one task today and, before beginning, explicitly dedicate your effort to the Lord’s service and pleasure.

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.

Quoted in 1 lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 1 lecture

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 todayDedicate Your Qualities to 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 2.4.17? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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