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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.
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Canto 5 · Chapter 14: The Material World as the Great Forest of Enjoyment
5.14.75.14.9

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 5.14.8

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:King Parīkṣitsince 5.13.26inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

अथ कदाचिन्निवासपानीयद्रविणाद्यनेकात्मोपजीवनाभिनिवेश एतस्यां संसाराटव्यामितस्तत: परिधावति ॥ ८ ॥

atha kadācin nivāsa-pānīya-draviṇādy-anekātmopajīvanābhiniveśa etasyāṁ saṁsārāṭavyām itas tataḥ paridhāvati.

Translation

Sometimes the conditioned soul is absorbed in finding residential quarters or apartments and getting a supply of water and riches to maintain his body. Absorbed in acquiring a variety of necessities, he forgets everything and perpetually runs around the forest of material existence.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Remember Kṛṣṇa Beyond Bodily Necessities

  1. 1

    Absorption in housing, water and wealth can make one forget one’s original relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Bodily comfort then becomes one’s only engagement.

  2. 2

    Even after obtaining sufficient necessities, the materialist manufactures artificial needs. Wanting greater and greater comforts brings deeper entanglement.

  3. 3

    The bewildered soul thinks himself the doer, although activities are carried out by the modes of material nature. Desires for material enjoyment lead him into different bodies and their sufferings.

Key points from the purport
  • Thus material activities are the conditioned soul’s only engagement.
  • Not knowing the aim of life, the materialist perpetually wanders in material existence, struggling to get the necessities of life.
  • Not understanding the aim of life, even though he acquires sufficient necessities, he manufactures artificial necessities and thus becomes more and more entangled.

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 5.14.8 quotesBG 3.27

As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (3.27): “The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities which are in actuality carried out by nature.”

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:

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 summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.14
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. athain this way
  2. kadācitsometimes
  3. nivāsaresidence
  4. pānīyawater
  5. draviṇawealth
  6. ādiand so on
  7. anekain various items
  8. ātma-upajīvanawhich are considered necessary to maintain body and soul together
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 5.14

    In this verse: “material”, “wealth”, “materialist”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 5.14

    In this verse: “sufferings”

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

Which of my supposed necessities is an artificial need that distracts me from my relationship with Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Remove one unnecessary item from today’s shopping or planning list, and pause to remember your relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRemember Kṛṣṇa Beyond Bodily NecessitiesThis 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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