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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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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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
3.5.13.5.3

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.5.2

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Vidurasince 3.5.2inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura
A turning point forVidura· Questions to Maitreya

विदुर उवाच

सुखाय कर्माणि करोति लोको

न तै: सुखं वान्यदुपारमं वा ।

विन्देत भूयस्तत एव दु:खं

यदत्र युक्तं भगवान् वदेन्न: ॥ २ ॥

vidura uvāca

sukhāya karmāṇi karoti loko

na taiḥ sukhaṁ vānyad-upāramaṁ vā

vindeta bhūyas tata eva duḥkhaṁ

yad atra yuktaṁ bhagavān vaden naḥ

Translation

Vidura said: O great sage, everyone in this world engages in fruitive activities to attain happiness, but one finds neither satiation nor the mitigation of distress. On the contrary, one is only aggravated by such activities. Please, therefore, give us directions on how one should live for real happiness.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Seek Guidance for Real Happiness

  1. 1

    People perform fruitive activities, seeking happiness through their results, yet find neither lasting satisfaction nor relief from distress. Instead, they become further entangled in action and reaction.

  2. 2

    Out of natural humility, Vidura began with a question important to ordinary people. Before understanding the Lord, one must recognize one's condition under the influence of illusion.

  3. 3

    Material plans cannot satisfy the continuous longing for happiness. Vidura therefore asked Maitreya for directions on how one should live for real happiness.

Key points from the purport
  • Uddhava asked Vidura to approach Maitreya Muni and inquire into all the truths concerning the Lord — His name, fame, qualities, form, pastimes, entourage, etc. — and thus when Vidura approached Maitreya, he should have asked only about the Lord.
  • In illusion one thinks that he can be happy only by fruitive activities, but what actually happens is that one becomes more and more entangled in the network of action and reaction and does not find any solution to the problem of life.
  • Everyone tries to become happy by planning in the material world, but the law of nature is so cruel that it sets fire to one’s schemes; the fruitive worker is not happy in his schemes, nor is there any satiation of his continuous hankering for happiness.

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

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. viduraḥ uvācaVidura said
  2. sukhāyafor attaining happiness
  3. karmāṇifruitive activities
  4. karotieveryone does so
  5. lokaḥin this world
  6. nanever
  7. taiḥby those activities
  8. sukhamany happiness
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 3.5

    In this verse: “illusion”, “material”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 3.5

    In this verse: “distress”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 3.5

    In this verse: “humility”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which pursuit of happiness has left me wanting more rather than feeling satisfied?

Practice

Write down one expectation of happiness from material results and consider whether it has actually relieved your distress.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todaySeek Guidance for Real HappinessThis 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 3.5.2? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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