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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.
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Canto 3 · Chapter 16: The Two Doorkeepers of Vaikuṇṭha, Jaya and Vijaya, Cursed by the Sages
3.16.63.16.8

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.16.7

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Lordsince 3.16.7inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraLord Brahmā → the demigods

यत्सेवया चरणपद्मपवित्ररेणुं

सद्य:क्षताखिलमलं प्रतिलब्धशीलम् ।

न श्रीर्विरक्तमपि मां विजहाति यस्या:

प्रेक्षालवार्थ इतरे नियमान् वहन्ति ॥ ७ ॥

yat-sevayā caraṇa-padma-pavitra-reṇuṁ

sadyaḥ kṣatākhila-malaṁ pratilabdha-śīlam

na śrīr viraktam api māṁ vijahāti yasyāḥ

prekṣā-lavārtha itare niyamān vahanti

Translation

The Lord continued: Because I am the servitor of My devotees, My lotus feet have become so sacred that they immediately wipe out all sin and I have acquired such a disposition that the goddess of fortune does not leave Me, even though I have no attachment for her, while others praise her beauty and observe sacred vows to secure from her even a slight favor.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Lovingly Serves His Devotees

  1. 1

    The devotee attributes good qualities to serving the Lord, while the Lord attributes His increased glories to His affection for His devotee. Their relationship is transcendentally beautiful.

  2. 2

    As the devotee is eager to serve the Lord, the Lord is eager to serve the devotee. He connects the purifying greatness of His lotus feet with this affection.

  3. 3

    The goddess of fortune does not leave Him, although He is unattached to her. He cannot tolerate His devotee’s inconvenience and is therefore known as bhakta-vatsala.

Key points from the purport
  • The relationship between the Lord and His devotee is transcendentally beautiful.
  • As the devotee thinks that it is due to being a devotee of the Lord that he is elevated in all good qualities, so the Lord also thinks that it is because of His devotion to the servitor that all His transcendental glories have increased.
  • The Lord admits herein that although He certainly has the quality that anyone who receives a slight particle of the dust of His lotus feet becomes at once a great personality, this greatness is due to His affection for His devotee.

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 16: The Two Doorkeepers of Vaikuṇṭha, Jaya and Vijaya, Cursed by the Sages

The Lord honors the sages and assures His fallen doorkeepers that they will soon return.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.16
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yatof whom
  2. sevayāby the service
  3. caraṇafeet
  4. padmalotus
  5. pavitrasacred
  6. reṇumthe dust
  7. sadyaḥimmediately
  8. kṣatawiped out
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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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 3.16

    In this verse: “devotees”, “devotee”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 3.16

    In this verse: “favor”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 3.16

    In this verse: “attachment”

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 the Lord’s affection encourage me to serve Him willingly?

Practice

Take one small step to ease a devotee’s inconvenience today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Lovingly Serves His DevoteesThis 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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