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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 29: Explanation of Devotional Service by Lord Kapila
3.29.93.29.11-12

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.29.10

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Kapilasince 3.29.7inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraLord Kapila → Devahūti

कर्मनिर्हारमुद्दिश्य परस्मिन्वा तदर्पणम् ।

यजेद्यष्टव्यमिति वा पृथग्भाव: स सात्त्विक: ॥ १० ॥

karma-nirhāram uddiśya

parasmin vā tad-arpaṇam

yajed yaṣṭavyam iti vā

pṛthag-bhāvaḥ sa sāttvikaḥ

Translation

When a devotee worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead and offers the results of his activities in order to free himself from the inebrieties of fruitive activities, his devotion is in the mode of goodness.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Pure Devotion Transcends Even Material Goodness

  1. 1

    Offering the results of one's duties to the Supreme Lord is called karmārpaṇam. This offering atones for faults in those activities.

  2. 2

    When worship and offerings aim at personal benefit or freedom from the faults of fruitive activities, devotion is in the mode of goodness. Pure devotional service is free from all material desires and beyond all material qualities.

  3. 3

    Hearing, chanting, remembering and other devotional activities can be mixed with ignorance, passion or goodness. One must transcend these mixed forms to reach pure devotional service.

Key points from the purport
  • But if this offering process is in the mode of goodness rather than in pure devotion, then the interest is different.
  • Therefore such activities are in the mode of goodness; they cannot be counted in the category of pure devotion.
  • Devotional service in the modes of ignorance, passion and goodness can be divided into eighty-one categories.

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 29: Explanation of Devotional Service by Lord Kapila

Kapila explains devotional service, honoring the Lord’s presence in all beings, and the power of time.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.29
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. karmafruitive activities
  2. nirhāramfreeing himself from
  3. uddiśyawith the purpose of
  4. parasminto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  5. vāor
  6. tat-arpaṇamoffering the result of activities
  7. yajetmay worship
  8. yaṣṭavyamto be worshiped
3

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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 3.29

    In this verse: “devotion”, “devotee”, “worships”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 3.29

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 3.29

    In this verse: “free from”

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

Is my service directed toward the Lord's satisfaction, or toward securing a benefit for myself?

Practice

Offer one task's results to the Supreme Lord today, consciously setting aside the wish for a personal reward.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

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

Quoted in 2 lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 2 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 todayPure Devotion Transcends Even Material GoodnessThis 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 3.29.10? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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