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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 7: Scheduled Incarnations with Specific Functions
2.7.472.7.49

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.7.48

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Brahmāsince 2.7.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitLord Brahmā → Nārada Muni

सध्‌रयङ् नियम्य यतयो यमकर्तहेतिं ।

जह्यु: स्वराडिव निपानखनित्रमिन्द्र: ॥ ४८ ॥

sadhryaṅ niyamya yatayo yama-karta-hetiṁ

jahyuḥ svarāḍ iva nipāna-khanitram indraḥ

Translation

In such a transcendental state there is no need of artificial control of the mind, mental speculation or meditation, as performed by the jñānīs and yogīs. One gives up such processes, as the heavenly King, Indra, forgoes the trouble to dig a well.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Loving Service Is Life’s Perfection

  1. 1

    Control of the senses and spiritual perfection become possible together when one is factually engaged in loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  2. 2

    As Indra has no need to dig a well for water, pure devotees have no need for separate mental speculation or meditation. Loving service already gives them the results of those processes.

  3. 3

    Even great liberated souls desire to join in hearing and chanting the Lord’s activities. The real perfection of life is transcendental loving service to Him.

Key points from the purport
  • Similarly, those who are factually engaged in the loving service of the Lord have attained the ultimate goal of life, and for them there is no need of mental speculation to find out the true nature of God or His activities.
  • Because they are factually engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, the Lord’s pure devotees have already achieved the results of mental speculation and meditation.
  • The real perfection of life is therefore to be engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

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

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 7: Scheduled Incarnations with Specific Functions

Brahmā recounts the Lord’s incarnations and explains that unalloyed surrender enables one to understand Him.

Back to this verse in chapter 2.7
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sadhryakartificial mental speculation or meditation
  2. niyamyacontrolling
  3. yatayaḥthe mystics
  4. yama-karta-hetimthe process of spiritual culture
  5. jahyuḥare given up
  6. svarāṭfully independent
  7. ivaas
  8. nipānawell
  9. khanitramtrouble for digging
  10. indraḥthe controlling demigod supplying rains
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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 2.7

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 2.7

    In this verse: “king”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 2.7

    In this verse: “devotees”

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 does this teaching help me place loving service at the center of my spiritual practice?

Practice

Spend five minutes hearing or chanting about the Lord’s activities with the intention of serving Him.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLoving Service Is Life’s PerfectionThis 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 2.7.48? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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