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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
  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 5 · Chapter 14: The Material World as the Great Forest of Enjoyment
5.14.425.14.44

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 5.14.43

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 5.14.20inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

यो दुस्त्यजान्दारसुतान् सुहृद्राज्यं हृदिस्पृश: । जहौ युवैव मलवदुत्तमश्लोकलालस: ॥ ४३ ॥

yo dustyajān dāra-sutān

suhṛd rājyaṁ hṛdi-spṛśaḥ

jahau yuvaiva malavad

uttamaśloka-lālasaḥ

Translation

While in the prime of life, the great Mahārāja Bharata gave up everything because he was fond of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Uttamaśloka. He gave up his beautiful wife, nice children, great friends and an enormous empire. Although these things were very difficult to give up, Mahārāja Bharata was so exalted that he gave them up just as one gives up stool after evacuating. Such was the greatness of His Majesty.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Cultivate Devotion Carefully; Sincere Service Endures

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa is so attractive that Mahārāja Bharata gave up his family, friends, and empire to serve Him. His desire to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead outweighed his material possessions.

  2. 2

    Bharata’s affection for a little deer interrupted his devotional progress, but Kṛṣṇa’s mercy preserved his understanding. His example teaches us to be cautious, because even a little inattention can delay devotional service.

  3. 3

    A little devotional service rendered sincerely is a permanent asset. Even if one falls, that service is never lost and can give an impetus to advance.

Key points from the purport
  • The name of God is Kṛṣṇa, because He is so attractive that the pure devotee can give up everything within this material world on His behalf.
  • He possessed all the opulences of the material world, but Kṛṣṇa is so attractive that He attracted Mahārāja Bharata from all his material possessions.
  • Somehow or other, if one is attracted to Kṛṣṇa, whatever he does in devotional service is a permanent asset.

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· 3

The purport of SB 5.14.43 quotesBG 2.40

Yet any service rendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never lost: svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt.

The purport of SB 5.14.43 quotesSB 1.5.17

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.17): Somehow or other, if one is attracted to Kṛṣṇa, whatever he does in devotional service is a permanent asset.

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 23.25

This verse is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.14.43).

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

Further reading

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

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Thus they are like monkeys in the forest. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī thus explains the material forest and its difficult path to Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.14
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yaḥthe same Jaḍa Bharata who was formerly Mahārāja Bharata, the son of Mahārāja Ṛṣabhadeva
  2. dustyajānvery difficult to give up
  3. dāra-sutānthe wife and children or the most opulent family life
  4. suhṛtfriends and well-wishers
  5. rājyama kingdom that extended all over the world
  6. hṛdi-spṛśaḥthat which is situated within the core of one’s heart
  7. jahauhe gave up
  8. yuvā evaeven as a young man
  9. mala-vatlike stool
  10. uttama-śloka-lālasaḥwho was so fond of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Uttamaśloka
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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

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 5.14

    In this verse: “give up”, “gave up”

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 5.14

    In this verse: “friends”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 5.14

    In this verse: “children”

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

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What distraction could I set aside to cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness more carefully?

Practice

Set aside one distraction and give a few attentive minutes to a small act of devotional service today.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

Quoted in 1 lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 1 lecture

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

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Connected stories

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

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 5.14's connections

Live this todayCultivate Devotion Carefully; Sincere Service EnduresThis 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 5.14.43? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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