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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
3.21.133.21.15

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.21.14

Ūti· What drives us to act
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

ये मायया ते हतमेधसस्त्वत्-

पादारविन्दं भवसिन्धुपोतम् ।

उपासते कामलवाय तेषां

रासीश कामान्निरयेऽपि ये स्यु: ॥ १४ ॥

ye māyayā te hata-medhasas tvat-

pādāravindaṁ bhava-sindhu-potam

upāsate kāma-lavāya teṣāṁ

rāsīśa kāmān niraye ’pi ye syuḥ

Translation

Your lotus feet are the true vessel to take one across the ocean of mundane nescience. Only persons deprived of their intelligence by the spell of the deluding energy will worship those feet with a view to attain the trivial and momentary pleasures of the senses, which even persons rotting in hell can attain. However, O my Lord, You are so kind that You bestow mercy even upon them.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Seek the Lord Beyond Temporary Pleasure

  1. 1

    The Lord’s lotus feet are the vessel for crossing the ocean of material ignorance. An intelligent practitioner of yoga seeks His shelter rather than temporary sense pleasure.

  2. 2

    Some devotees desire material pleasures, while others desire only service to the Lord. Sense enjoyment is available even in animal life and is not the perfection of yoga.

  3. 3

    The Lord is so kind that He grants facilities even to those who approach Him for material enjoyment. Yet such enjoyment does not bring the perfection attained by Kardama Muni.

Key points from the purport
  • Material pleasures can be attained even by hogs and dogs, whose condition of life is hellish.
  • The Lord is so kind that if so-called yogīs are satisfied by hellish pleasures, He can give them facilities to attain all the material pleasures they desire, but they cannot attain the perfectional stage attained by Kardama Muni.
  • The Lord is so kind, however, that even today persons whose brain substance is spoiled are given the benediction to become cats, dogs or hogs and enjoy material happiness from sex life and 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

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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yethose persons
  2. māyayāby the deluding energy
  3. teof You
  4. hatahas been lost
  5. medhasaḥwhose intelligence
  6. tvatYour
  7. pāda-aravindamlotus feet
  8. bhavaof mundane existence
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 3.21

    In this verse: “worship”, “devotees”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 3.21

    In this verse: “mercy”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “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

What do my prayers reveal about whether I seek temporary pleasure or service to the Lord?

Practice

Offer one prayer today asking for service to the Lord rather than a temporary material benefit.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todaySeek the Lord Beyond Temporary PleasureThis 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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