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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.
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Canto 3 · Chapter 32: Entanglement in Fruitive Activities
3.32.283.32.30

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.32.29

Sarga· Creation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Personality of Godheadsince 3.32.1inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraLord Kapila → Devahūti

यथा महानहंरूपस्त्रिवृत्पञ्चविध: स्वराट् ।

एकादशविधस्तस्य वपुरण्डं जगद्यत: ॥ २९ ॥

yathā mahān ahaṁ-rūpas

tri-vṛt pañca-vidhaḥ svarāṭ

ekādaśa-vidhas tasya

vapur aṇḍaṁ jagad yataḥ

Translation

From the total energy, the mahat-tattva, I have manifested the false ego, the three modes of material nature, the five material elements, the individual consciousness, the eleven senses and the material body. Similarly, the entire universe has come from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Supreme Lord Is Creation’s Source

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of the mahat-tattva, the total material energy. The body, senses and entire universe develop from this energy.

  2. 2

    Because everything emanates from the Lord, the cosmic manifestation is in one sense nondifferent from Him, yet it is also different. Both individual material bodies and the universal body are temporary.

  3. 3

    The individual soul has minute independence and limited consciousness; the Supreme Lord is fully independent. The Supersoul is conscious of all individual bodies, not merely one.

Key points from the purport
  • As the individual soul has a material body made of five elements and the senses, the supreme independent Lord similarly has the gigantic body of the universe.
  • The individual body is temporary; similarly, the entire universe, which is considered to be the body of the Supreme Lord, is also temporary, and both the individual and universal bodies are products of the mahat-tattva.
  • Just as the individual soul has consciousness, the Supreme Soul is also conscious.

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 3.32.29 quotesBG 13.3

This is described in Bhagavad-gītā (13.3). Kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi: the Supersoul is present in every field of activity, just as the individual soul is present in the individual body.

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 32: Entanglement in Fruitive Activities

Kapila contrasts temporary material rewards with the knowledge and detachment gained through devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.32
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yathāas
  2. mahānthe mahat-tattva
  3. aham-rūpaḥthe false ego
  4. tri-vṛtthe three modes of material nature
  5. pañca-vidhaḥthe five material elements
  6. sva-rāṭthe individual consciousness
  7. ekādaśa-vidhaḥthe eleven senses
  8. tasyaof the living entity
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Sarga · The creation of the universe

    Where does the universe come from? · Subject 1 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 3.32

    In this verse: “material”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 3.32

    In this verse: “false ego”

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

How does recognizing the limits of your consciousness help you appreciate the Supersoul?

Practice

Pause once today to reflect: your awareness is limited to your own body, while the Supersoul is conscious of every body.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Supreme Lord Is Creation’s SourceThis 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 3.32.29? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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