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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 25: The Glories of Devotional Service
3.25.223.25.24

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.25.23

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
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

मदाश्रया: कथा मृष्टा:श‍ृण्वन्ति कथयन्ति च ।

तपन्ति विविधास्तापा नैतान्मद्गतचेतस: ॥ २३ ॥

mad-āśrayāḥ kathā mṛṣṭāḥ

śṛṇvanti kathayanti ca

tapanti vividhās tāpā

naitān mad-gata-cetasaḥ

Translation

Engaged constantly in chanting and hearing about Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sādhus do not suffer from material miseries because they are always filled with thoughts of My pastimes and activities.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Fill the Mind with the Lord’s Activities

  1. 1

    Material miseries arise from the body and mind, other living entities, and natural disturbances. A sādhu is not disturbed by them because his mind is filled with Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

  2. 2

    Sādhus constantly hear and speak about the activities of the Lord and His devotees. They use their words to glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  3. 3

    Those who forget the Lord's activities remain full of material anxieties. Devotees absorbed in topics of the Lord become forgetful of material miseries.

Key points from the purport
  • But a sādhu is not disturbed by such miserable conditions because his mind is always filled with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and thus he does not like to talk about anything but the activities of the Lord.
  • Sādhus are always interested in hearing about the activities of the Lord or His devotees.
  • On the other hand, since the devotees always engage in the topics of the Lord, they are forgetful of the miseries of material existence.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 3.25.23 quotesSB 9.4.18-20

Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. He engaged his words only in glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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. mat-āśrayāḥabout Me
  2. kathāḥstories
  3. mṛṣṭāḥdelightful
  4. śṛṇvantithey hear
  5. kathayantithey chant
  6. caand
  7. tapantiinflict suffering
  8. vividhāḥvarious
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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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 3.25

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”, “glorify”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 3.25

    In this verse: “material”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotees”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What subjects usually fill my thoughts and speech, and how much room do I give to the Lord’s activities?

Practice

Spend five minutes hearing about the Lord’s activities, then speak one sentence glorifying Him.

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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 1 more lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 1 other lecture

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

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Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 9.4.18

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 3.25's connections

Live this todayFill the Mind with the Lord’s ActivitiesThis 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.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 3.25.23? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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