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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 5 · The Creative Impetus · 26 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.

Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›

Canto 5 · Chapter 14: The Material World as the Great Forest of Enjoyment

5.14.39 5.14.41

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 5.14.40

Ūti· What drives us to act

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 5.14.20inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

यदपि दिगिभजयिनो यज्विनो ये वै राजर्षय: किं तु परं मृधे शयीरन्नस्यामेव ममेयमिति कृतवैरानुबन्धायां विसृज्य स्वयमुपसंहृता: ॥ ४० ॥

yad api dig-ibha-jayino yajvino ye vai rājarṣayaḥ kiṁ tu paraṁ mṛdhe śayīrann asyām eva mameyam iti kṛta-vairānubandhāyāṁ visṛjya svayam upasaṁhṛtāḥ.

Translation

There were many great saintly kings who were very expert in performing sacrificial rituals and very competent in conquering other kingdoms, yet despite their power they could not attain the loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is because those great kings could not even conquer the false consciousness of “I am this body, and this is my property.” Thus they simply created enmity with rival kings, fought with them and died without having discharged life’s real mission.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Success Means Pleasing the Supreme Lord

1
Even powerful kings failed to attain loving service because they could not overcome the ideas “I am this body” and “This is my property.” Their victories did not fulfill life’s real mission.
2
Life’s real mission is to reestablish our forgotten relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service. One can develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness while continuing prescribed duties and associating with devotees.
3
Nothing belongs to the conditioned soul, not even the body. Whatever one’s occupation, life becomes successful by using it to satisfy the Supreme Lord.

Key points from the purport

The real mission of life for the conditioned soul is to reestablish the forgotten relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engage in devotional service so that he may revive Kṛṣṇa consciousness after giving up the body.
By one’s karma, one gets a particular body, and if he does not utilize his body to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all his activities are frustrated.
If he can simply satisfy the Supreme Lord, his life is successful.

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 5.14.40 quotesSB 1.2.13

The real purpose of life is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.13): It really doesn’t matter what activity a man engages in.

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

Misjudgment → Humility and insight. Spiritual insight hides behind social appearances.

Chapters 10–14 of Canto 5: Jaḍa Bharata instructs Rahūgaṇa. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 14: The Material World as the Great Forest of Enjoyment

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Sometimes, when he is detected, he temporarily renounces everything, but due to his great attachment for the body, his renunciation is given up before he can attain perfection. In this material world there are many envious people.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 5.14

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

yat apialthough
dik-ibha-jayinaḥwho are victorious in all directions
yajvinaḥexpert in performing great sacrifices
yeall of whom
vaiindeed
rāja-ṛṣayaḥvery great saintly kings
kim tubut
paramonly this earth

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
Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership
Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 5.14
In this verse: “kings”, “kingdoms”
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 5.14
In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotees”
Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct
Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 5.14
In this verse: “duties”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Do I measure success by what I gain, or by whether I please Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Before one duty today, pause and make a conscious intention to use your effort to please Kṛṣṇa.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todaySuccess Means Pleasing the Supreme LordThis 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.

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