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Study a Verse

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 7: Further Inquires by Vidura
3.7.33.7.5

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.7.4

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Vidurasince 3.7.2inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

अस्राक्षीद्भगवान् विश्वं गुणमय्यात्ममायया ।

तया संस्थापयत्येतद्भूय: प्रत्यपिधास्यति ॥ ४ ॥

asrākṣīd bhagavān viśvaṁ

guṇa-mayyātma-māyayā

tayā saṁsthāpayaty etad

bhūyaḥ pratyapidhāsyati

Translation

By His self-sheltered potency of the three modes of material nature, the Lord has caused the creation of this universe. By her He maintains the creation and conversely dissolves it, again and again.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Misused Independence Leads to Material Entanglement

  1. 1

    The Lord repeatedly creates, maintains and dissolves the universe through His potency endowed with the three modes of material nature.

  2. 2

    The material world is not for the Lord’s own purpose. It is for conditioned souls who misuse their God-gifted minute independence and want to become controllers.

  3. 3

    Forgetting his spiritual identity, the conditioned soul considers himself part of the material creation. He becomes entangled in material activities and repeated birth and death.

Key points from the purport
  • The three modes of material nature are for the further bewilderment of the conditioned souls.
  • The conditioned living entity, bewildered by the illusory energy, considers himself a part of the material creation due to forgetfulness of his spiritual identity, and thus he becomes entangled in material activities life after life.
  • Thus the conditioned souls are subjected to repeated birth and death.

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 7: Further Inquires by Vidura

Vidura asks about illusion, the soul, creation, religious duties, and the relationship between teacher and disciple.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.7
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. asrākṣītcaused to create
  2. bhagavānthe Personality of Godhead
  3. viśvamthe universe
  4. guṇa-mayyāendowed with three modes of material nature
  5. ātmaself
  6. māyayāby the potency
  7. tayāby her
  8. saṁsthāpayatimaintains
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 3.7

    In this verse: “material”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 3.7

    In this verse: “death”

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

Where does my wish to be the controller make me forget my spiritual identity?

Practice

Identify one controlling impulse today and pause to remember that your independence is minute and God-gifted.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayMisused Independence Leads to Material EntanglementThis 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 3.7.4? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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