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

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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 25: The Glories of Devotional Service
3.25.173.25.19

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.25.18

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Personality of Godheadsince 3.25.13inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraLord Kapila → Devahūti

ज्ञानवैराग्ययुक्तेन भक्तियुक्तेन चात्मना ।

परिपश्यत्युदासीनं प्रकृतिं च हतौजसम् ॥ १८ ॥

jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena

bhakti-yuktena cātmanā

paripaśyaty udāsīnaṁ

prakṛtiṁ ca hataujasam

Translation

In that position of self-realization, by practice of knowledge and renunciation in devotional service, one sees everything in the right perspective; he becomes indifferent to material existence, and the material influence acts less powerfully upon him.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Brings Clear Spiritual Vision

  1. 1

    Knowledge reveals that the soul is an infinitesimal part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit. This realization brings detachment from material, conditional life.

  2. 2

    With knowledge and renunciation, one can engage in pure devotional service as a loving servant of the Lord. Purified senses are fit for His service.

  3. 3

    Through this self-realization, one sees everything in its right perspective, and material influence becomes almost nil. One becomes happy and free from lamentation and hankering.

Key points from the purport
  • Unless one is liberated from material contamination, one cannot engage himself in the devotional service of the Lord.
  • In this verse, it is therefore stated, jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena: when one is in full knowledge of one’s constitutional position and is in the renounced order of life, detached from material attraction, then, by pure devotional service, bhakti-yuktena, he can engage himself as a loving servant of the Lord.
  • The Lord states that position as mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām, the real state of beginning devotional service.

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

Entanglement → Insight and liberation. Inquiry matures into instruction in devotion and spiritual nature.

Chapters 25–33 of Canto 3: Kapila instructs Devahūti. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 25: The Glories of Devotional Service

Kapila teaches Devahūti the glories of devotional service, association with devotees, and freedom from material attachment.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.25
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. jñānaknowledge
  2. vairāgyarenunciation
  3. yuktenaequipped with
  4. bhaktidevotional service
  5. yuktenaequipped with
  6. caand
  7. ātmanāby the mind
  8. paripaśyatione sees
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 3.25

    In this verse: “indifferent”, “detachment”, “free from”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 3.25

    In this verse: “devotional service”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 3.25

    In this verse: “knowledge”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How might remembering my spiritual position weaken one material attraction?

Practice

Identify one thing you are hankering for, then pause to remember your position as a minute part and loving servant of the Lord.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

1 lecture given on it · quoted in 2 more lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 2 other lectures

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayDevotional Service Brings Clear Spiritual VisionThis 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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