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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 5: Vidura’s Talks with Maitreya
3.5.113.5.13

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.5.12

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Vidurasince 3.5.2inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

मुनिर्विवक्षुर्भगवद्गुणानां

सखापि ते भारतमाह कृष्ण: ।

यस्मिन्नृणां ग्राम्यसुखानुवादै-

र्मतिर्गृहीता नु हरे: कथायाम् ॥ १२ ॥

munir vivakṣur bhagavad-guṇānāṁ

sakhāpi te bhāratam āha kṛṣṇaḥ

yasmin nṛṇāṁ grāmya-sukhānuvādair

matir gṛhītā nu hareḥ kathāyām

Translation

Your friend the great sage Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa has already described the transcendental qualities of the Lord in his great work the Mahābhārata. But the whole idea is to draw the attention of the mass of people to kṛṣṇa-kathā [Bhagavad-gītā] through their strong affinity for hearing mundane topics.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Worldly Interest Can Lead to Spiritual Inquiry

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa composed the Mahābhārata to draw people interested in worldly topics toward the Lord’s transcendental qualities. Its purpose is to lead them to kṛṣṇa-kathā.

  2. 2

    Through the Mahābhārata, readers can benefit from Bhagavad-gītā. It provides a preliminary study for Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Vedānta-sūtra.

  3. 3

    Serious inquiry into Transcendence begins when one moves beyond inquiries centered on sense gratification. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam explains the real purpose of Vedānta-sūtra through its author’s own explanation.

Key points from the purport
  • As stated in Bhāgavatam (1.4.25), Śrīla Vyāsadeva compiled the Mahābhārata for the less intelligent class of men, who take more interest in mundane topics than in the philosophy of life.
  • The great author has compiled the Mahābhārata in such a way that the less intelligent class of men, who are more interested in mundane topics, may read the Mahābhārata with great relish and in the course of such mundane happiness can also take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā, the preliminary study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or the Vedānta-sūtra.
  • Śrīla Vyāsadeva had no interest in writing a history of mundane activities other than to give less intelligent persons a chance for transcendental realization through Bhagavad-gītā.

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 3.5.12 quotesSB 1.4.25

As stated in Bhāgavatam (1.4.25), Śrīla Vyāsadeva compiled the Mahābhārata for the less intelligent class of men, who take more interest in mundane topics than in the philosophy of life.

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

Mystery → Cosmic wonder. The origin of the world is revealed through inquiry and divine grace.

Chapters 5–12 of Canto 3: Creation and Brahmā's bewilderment. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 5: Vidura’s Talks with Maitreya

Vidura meets Maitreya, who begins explaining the Lord’s activities and the unfolding of material creation.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.5
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. muniḥthe sage
  2. vivakṣuḥdescribed
  3. bhagavatof the Personality of Godhead
  4. guṇānāmtranscendental qualities
  5. sakhāfriend
  6. apialso
  7. teyour
  8. bhāratamthe Mahābhārata
3

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 3.5

    In this verse: “hearing”

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 3.5

    In this verse: “friend”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 3.5

    In this verse: “inquiry”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can my interest in worldly topics become a starting point for spiritual inquiry?

Practice

Use five minutes normally spent reading worldly news to read a passage from Bhagavad-gītā.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

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

The purport quotesSB 1.4.25

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 3.5's connections

Live this todayWorldly Interest Can Lead to Spiritual InquiryThis 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 3.5.12? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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