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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 · Texts 5.19.17-18

Who is speaking and story frame

एतासामपो भारत्य: प्रजा नामभिरेव पुनन्तीनामात्मना चोपस्पृशन्ति ॥ १७ ॥ चन्द्रवसा ताम्रपर्णी अवटोदा कृतमाला वैहायसी कावेरी वेणी पयस्विनी शर्करावर्ता तुङ्गभद्रा कृष्णा वेण्या भीमरथी गोदावरी निर्विन्ध्या पयोष्णी तापी रेवा सुरसा नर्मदा चर्मण्वती सिन्धुरन्ध: शोणश्च नदौ महानदी वेदस्मृतिऋर्षिकुल्या त्रिसामा कौशिकी मन्दाकिनी यमुना सरस्वती द‍ृषद्वती गोमती सरयू रोधस्वती सप्तवती सुषोमा शतद्रूश्चन्द्रभागा मरुद्‍वृधा वितस्ता असिक्नी विश्‍वेति महानद्य: ॥ १८ ॥

etāsām apo bhāratyaḥ prajā nāmabhir eva punantīnām ātmanā copaspṛśanti; candravasā tāmraparṇī avaṭodā kṛtamālā vaihāyasī kāverī veṇī payasvinī śarkarāvartā tuṅgabhadrā kṛṣṇāveṇyā bhīmarathī godāvarī nirvindhyā payoṣṇī tāpī revā surasā narmadā carmaṇvatī sindhur andhaḥ śoṇaś ca nadau mahānadī vedasmṛtir ṛṣikulyā trisāmā kauśikī mandākinī yamunā sarasvatī dṛṣadvatī gomatī sarayū rodhasvatī saptavatī suṣomā śatadrūś candrabhāgā marudvṛdhā vitastā asiknī viśveti mahā-nadyaḥ.

Translation

Two of the rivers — the Brahmaputra and the Śoṇa — are called nadas, or main rivers. These are other great rivers that are very prominent: Candravasā, Tāmraparṇī, Avaṭodā, Kṛtamālā, Vaihāyasī, Kāverī, Veṇī, Payasvinī, Śarkarāvartā, Tuṅgabhadrā, Kṛṣṇāveṇyā, Bhīmarathī, Godāvarī, Nirvindhyā, Payoṣṇī, Tāpī, Revā, Surasā, Narmadā, Carmaṇvatī, Mahānadī, Vedasmṛti, Ṛṣikulyā, Trisāmā, Kauśikī, Mandākinī, Yamunā, Sarasvatī, Dṛṣadvatī, Gomatī, Sarayū, Rodhasvatī, Saptavatī, Suṣomā, Śatadrū, Candrabhāgā, Marudvṛdhā, Vitastā, Asiknī and Viśvā. The inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa are purified because they always remember these rivers. Sometimes they chant the names of these rivers as mantras, and sometimes they go directly to the rivers to touch them and bathe in them. Thus the inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa become purified.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Remembering Transcendental Rivers Brings Purification

  1. 1

    The Brahmaputra and the Śoṇa are called nadas, or main rivers. The translation also names many other prominent rivers.

  2. 2

    Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that all these rivers are transcendental. Remembering them, touching them or bathing in them can purify a person.

  3. 3

    The inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa sometimes chant these rivers’ names as mantras and sometimes visit them to touch or bathe in them. The purport says this practice continues.

Key points from the purport
  • Therefore one can be purified by remembering them, touching them or bathing in them.

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

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 19: A Description of the Island of Jambūdvīpa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Even in the topmost planet of this universe, Brahmaloka, the position of Bhārata-varṣa is discussed with great relish. All the conditioned living entities are evolving within the universe in different planets and different species of life.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.19
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. etāsāmof all these
  2. apaḥwater
  3. bhāratyaḥof Bhārata-varṣa (India)
  4. prajāḥthe residents
  5. nāmabhiḥby the names
  6. evaonly
  7. punantīnāmare purifying
  8. ātmanāby the mind
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Sthāna · Planetary systems

    How is the universe arranged, and what is our right place in it? · Subject 3 of 10

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 5.19

    In this verse: “purified”, “purify”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 5.19

    In this verse: “chant”

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

How could I give more attentive remembrance to the transcendental rivers named here?

Practice

Spend a minute remembering Yamunā, Sarasvatī and Godāvarī, softly speaking their names.

Live this todayRemembering Transcendental Rivers Brings PurificationThis 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 5.19.17-18? Get an answer from the verses themselves.