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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
3.5.453.5.47

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.5.46

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The demigodssince 3.5.39inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

पानेन ते देव कथासुधाया:

प्रवृद्धभक्त्या विशदाशया ये ।

वैराग्यसारं प्रतिलभ्य बोधं

यथाञ्जसान्वीयुरकुण्ठधिष्ण्यम् ॥ ४६ ॥

pānena te deva kathā-sudhāyāḥ

pravṛddha-bhaktyā viśadāśayā ye

vairāgya-sāraṁ pratilabhya bodhaṁ

yathāñjasānvīyur akuṇṭha-dhiṣṇyam

Translation

O Lord, persons who, because of their serious attitude, attain the stage of enlightened devotional service achieve the complete meaning of renunciation and knowledge and attain the Vaikuṇṭhaloka in the spiritual sky simply by drinking the nectar of Your topics.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Hear With Serious Devotion

  1. 1

    Devotees enter spiritual pleasure from the beginning by hearing about devotional activities and acting simply. Mental speculation, by contrast, involves strenuous effort and complicated words.

  2. 2

    Devotees attain the highest knowledge and renunciation and reach the Vaikuṇṭha planets, where real spiritual life prevails. This differs from merging into the Lord’s impersonal brahmajyoti.

  3. 3

    A serious devotee sets aside other achievements like dust and accepts only devotional service. Hearing the nectar of the Lord’s topics leads toward this culmination.

Key points from the purport
  • In spite of his strenuous efforts to attain perfect knowledge, the impersonalist attains merging into the impersonal oneness of the brahmajyoti of the Lord, which is also attained by the enemies of the Lord simply because of their being killed by Him.
  • The devotees, however, attain to the highest stage of knowledge and renunciation and achieve the Vaikuṇṭhalokas, the planets in the spiritual sky.
  • The impersonalist attains only the sky, and does not achieve any tangible transcendental bliss, whereas the devotee attains to the planets where real spiritual life prevails.

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. pānenaby drinking
  2. teof You
  3. devaO Lord
  4. kathātopics
  5. sudhāyāḥof the nectar
  6. pravṛddhahighly enlightened
  7. bhaktyāby devotional service
  8. viśada-āśayāḥwith a greatly serious attitude
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 3.5

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotees”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 3.5

    In this verse: “hearing”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I seeking devotional service itself, or mainly some other achievement?

Practice

Read this verse’s translation slowly, giving your full attention to hearing about the Lord rather than gaining something else.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayHear With Serious DevotionThis 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 3.5.46? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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