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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 21: Conversation Between Manu and Kardama
3.21.123.21.14

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.21.13

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The great sage Kardamasince 3.21.13inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

ऋषिरुवाच

जुष्टं बताद्याखिलसत्त्वराशे:

सांसिद्ध्यमक्ष्णोस्तव दर्शनान्न: ।

यद्दर्शनं जन्मभिरीड्य सद्‌भि-

राशासते योगिनो रूढयोगा: ॥ १३ ॥

ṛṣir uvāca

juṣṭaṁ batādyākhila-sattva-rāśeḥ

sāṁsiddhyam akṣṇos tava darśanān naḥ

yad-darśanaṁ janmabhir īḍya sadbhir

āśāsate yogino rūḍha-yogāḥ

Translation

The great sage Kardama said: O supreme worshipful Lord, my power of sight is now fulfilled, having attained the greatest perfection of the sight of You, who are the reservoir of all existences. Through many successive births of deep meditation, advanced yogīs aspire to see Your transcendental form.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Perfect the Senses Through Devotional Service

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all goodness and pleasure. Placing the body, mind and activities in His service is the highest perfectional stage of goodness.

  2. 2

    Sight is perfected by seeing the Lord’s beauty, hearing by hearing His glories, and taste by eating prasāda. For a devotee, the perfection of the senses is their engagement in the Lord’s service.

  3. 3

    Bhakti-yoga detaches the senses from material indulgence and attaches them to the Lord’s service. Truly advanced yogīs aspire, life after life, to see His eternal form.

Key points from the purport
  • When all the senses engage in relationship with the Personality of Godhead, one’s perfection is technically called bhakti-yoga, which entails detaching the senses from material indulgence and attaching them to the service of the Lord.
  • Kardama Muni admits that seeing the Lord personally in bhakti-yoga is the perfection of sight.
  • Those who are actually on the advanced path aspire only to see the eternal form 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

Longing and service → Preparedness. Family devotion turns toward higher spiritual fulfillment.

Chapters 20–24 of Canto 3: Kardama, Devahūti, family and renunciation. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 21: Conversation Between Manu and Kardama

Kardama performs penance, receives the Lord’s blessings, and welcomes Manu, who travels with his wife and daughter.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.21
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ṛṣiḥ uvācathe great sage said
  2. juṣṭamis attained
  3. bataah
  4. adyanow
  5. akhilaall
  6. sattvaof goodness
  7. rāśeḥwho are the reservoir
  8. sāṁsiddhyamthe complete success
3

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 3.21

    In this verse: “worshipful”, “devotee”, “bhakti-yoga”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 3.21

    In this verse: “attaches”, “material”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 3.21

    In this verse: “detaches”

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

Which of my senses could I engage more consciously in the Lord’s service?

Practice

Spend a few minutes hearing the Lord’s glories, giving them your full attention.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayPerfect the Senses Through Devotional ServiceThis 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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