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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 15: Description of the Kingdom of God
3.15.163.15.18

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.15.17

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Brahmāsince 3.15.12inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraLord Brahmā → the demigods

वैमानिका: सललनाश्चरितानि शश्वद्

गायन्ति यत्र शमलक्षपणानि भर्तु: ।

अन्तर्जलेऽनुविकसन्मधुमाधवीनां

गन्धेन खण्डितधियोऽप्यनिलं क्षिपन्त: ॥ १७ ॥

vaimānikāḥ sa-lalanāś caritāni śaśvad

gāyanti yatra śamala-kṣapaṇāni bhartuḥ

antar-jale ’nuvikasan-madhu-mādhavīnāṁ

gandhena khaṇḍita-dhiyo ’py anilaṁ kṣipantaḥ

Translation

In the Vaikuṇṭha planets the inhabitants fly in their airplanes, accompanied by their wives and consorts, and eternally sing of the character and activities of the Lord, which are always devoid of all inauspicious qualities. While singing the glories of the Lord, they deride even the presence of the blossoming mādhavī flowers, which are fragrant and laden with honey.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Glorifying the Lord Comes First

  1. 1

    Vaikuṇṭha is full of opulences, including airplanes and fragrant flowering surroundings. Its inhabitants eternally sing the Lord’s character and activities.

  2. 2

    The devotees are so absorbed in glorifying the Lord that even a delightful fragrant breeze seems a disturbance.

  3. 3

    They give first preference to the Lord’s service, not their own sense gratification. Transcendental loving service gives pleasure that makes sense gratification insignificant.

Key points from the purport
  • The inhabitants of Vaikuṇṭha, however, are so interested in glorifying the Lord that they do not like the disturbance of such a nice breeze while they are chanting the Lord’s glories.
  • In the Vaikuṇṭha planets there is no question of sense gratification.
  • The inhabitants of Vaikuṇṭha give first preference to the service of the Lord, not their own sense gratification.

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

Threat and anger → Rescue and wonder. Divine protection appears amid cosmic confrontation.

Chapters 13–19 of Canto 3: Varāha, Jaya and Vijaya, Hiraṇyākṣa. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 15: Description of the Kingdom of God

Brahmā describes Vaikuṇṭha, where the Kumāras curse two doorkeepers and then behold the Lord.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.15
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. vaimānikāḥflying in their airplanes
  2. sa-lalanāḥalong with their wives
  3. caritāniactivities
  4. śaśvateternally
  5. gāyantising
  6. yatrain those Vaikuṇṭha planets
  7. śamalaall inauspicious qualities
  8. kṣapaṇānidevoid of
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 3.15

    In this verse: “sense gratification”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 3.15

    In this verse: “devotees”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 3.15

    In this verse: “glorifying”

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

What pleasant distraction could I set aside to give the Lord’s glorification first place?

Practice

Set aside one pleasant distraction and spend two focused minutes glorifying the Lord.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayGlorifying the Lord Comes FirstThis 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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