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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 5.18.12

Who is speaking and story frame

यस्यास्ति भक्तिर्भगवत्यकिञ्चना

सर्वैर्गुणैस्तत्र समासते सुरा: ।

हरावभक्तस्य कुतो महद्गुणा

मनोरथेनासति धावतो बहि: ॥ १२ ॥

yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā

sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ

harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā

manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ

Translation

All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord’s external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Pure Devotion Reveals Good Qualities

  1. 1

    All living entities are eternal parts of Kṛṣṇa. When they revive their original Kṛṣṇa consciousness, His good qualities become manifest in them in a small quantity.

  2. 2

    The processes of devotional service purify the heart and reveal our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Unalloyed devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, brings forth exalted qualities.

  3. 3

    A Vaiṣṇava is kind, truthful, peaceful and respectful toward everyone, without seeking respect personally. Such qualities distinguish a devotee; material accomplishments without devotional service do not establish spiritual goodness.

Key points from the purport
  • All living entities are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and therefore when they revive their original Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they possess all the good qualities of Kṛṣṇa in a small quantity.
  • These are all originally qualities of Kṛṣṇa, and when one becomes a devotee they automatically become manifest.
  • Śrī Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, says that all good qualities become manifest in the body of a Vaiṣṇava and that only by the presence of these good qualities can one distinguish a Vaiṣṇava from a non-Vaiṣṇava.

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· 5

The purport of SB 5.18.12 quotesBG 15.7

This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (15.7), wherein Kṛṣṇa says: “The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 2.9.36

Similarly, it is also stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.18.12) indirectly as follows: One who has unflinching devotion unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead must have all the good qualities of the demigods, and contrarily one who is not a devotee of the Lord must be hovering in the darkness of mental speculation and thus must be engaged in material impermanence.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.21.43

It is said that one who has unflinching faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which means unflinching faith in the Vaiṣṇava or the pure devotee of the Supreme Lord, develops all the good qualities of the demigods: yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.22.17

It is said, yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ: “For one who has unflinching devotional faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is engaged in His service, all good qualities become manifest in his person.”

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.26.8

The Bhāgavatam (5.18.12) therefore says: A person who is a nondevotee has no good qualifications because he acts on the mental platform.

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

Smallness → Awe and reverence. A vast cosmos changes the reader's perspective.

Chapters 15–25 of Canto 5: The cosmic regions and divine worship. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 18: The Prayers Offered to the Lord by the Residents of Jambūdvīpa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In the hearts of nondevotees, however, there cannot be any good qualities, for such people are simply enchanted by the external, illusory energy of the Lord. Following in the footsteps of devotees, one should know that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the only worshipable Deity.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.18
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yasyaof whom
  2. astithere is
  3. bhaktiḥdevotional service
  4. bhagavatito the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  5. akiñcanāwithout any motive
  6. sarvaiḥwith all
  7. guṇaiḥgood qualities
  8. tatrathere (in that person)
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 5.18

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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 5.18

    In this verse: “knowledge”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 5.18

    In this verse: “material”

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 quality of a Vaiṣṇava would I like to see grow through my devotional service?

Practice

Offer respect to one person today without seeking respect in return, remembering the qualities of a devotee.

5

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

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

1 lecture given on it · quoted in 93 more lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 93 other lectures

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

Live this todayPure Devotion Reveals Good QualitiesThis 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 5.18.12? Get an answer from the verses themselves.