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

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Canto 3 · The Status Quo · 33 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 3 · Chapter 10: Divisions of the Creation
3.10.253.10.27

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.10.26

Visarga· Brahmā's creation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 3.10.11inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

अर्वाक्स्रोतस्तु नवम: क्षत्तरेकविधो नृणाम् ।

रजोऽधिका: कर्मपरा दु:खे च सुखमानिन: ॥ २६ ॥

arvāk-srotas tu navamaḥ

kṣattar eka-vidho nṛṇām

rajo ’dhikāḥ karma-parā

duḥkhe ca sukha-māninaḥ

Translation

The creation of the human beings, who are of one species only and who stock their eatables in the belly, is the ninth in the rotation. In the human race, the mode of passion is very prominent. Humans are always busy in the midst of miserable life, but they think themselves happy in all respects.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Use Higher Consciousness for Spiritual Realization

  1. 1

    Human beings form one species and belong to the ninth creation. The mode of passion is especially prominent in human life.

  2. 2

    Higher human consciousness is meant for gaining relief from material miseries. In ignorance, people instead use their intelligence to increase material comforts and pursue eating, sleeping, defending and mating.

  3. 3

    The pursuit of greater material comfort puts people into a more miserable condition. Yet, illusioned by material energy, they think themselves happy even amid misery.

Key points from the purport
  • The human being is more passionate than the animals, and thus the sex life of the human being is more irregular.
  • By advancing in material comforts the human being puts himself into a more miserable condition, but, illusioned by the material energy, he always thinks himself happy, even while in the midst of misery.
  • Such misery of human life is distinct from the natural comfortable life enjoyed even by the animals.

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

Mystery → Cosmic wonder. The origin of the world is revealed through inquiry and divine grace.

Chapters 5–12 of Canto 3: Creation and Brahmā's bewilderment. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 10: Divisions of the Creation

Maitreya explains the divisions of creation and Brahmā’s preparation of planetary homes for living entities.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.10
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. arvākdownwards
  2. srotaḥpassage of food
  3. tubut
  4. navamaḥthe ninth
  5. kṣattaḥO Vidura
  6. eka-vidhaḥone species
  7. nṛṇāmof human beings
  8. rajaḥthe mode of passion
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Visarga · Subcreation

    How do living beings and their worlds appear? · Subject 2 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 3.10

    In this verse: “illusioned”, “material”

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

Am I using my higher consciousness for spiritual realization or only for greater material comfort?

Practice

Set aside five minutes today from pursuing a material comfort to reflect on spiritual realization.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayUse Higher Consciousness for Spiritual RealizationThis 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.

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