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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 19: A Description of the Island of Jambūdvīpa
5.19.55.19.7

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 5.19.6

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 5.19.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

न वै स आत्मात्मवतां सुहृत्तम:

सक्तस्त्रिलोक्यां भगवान् वासुदेव: ।

न स्त्रीकृतं कश्मलमश्नुवीत

न लक्ष्मणं चापि विहातुमर्हति ॥ ६ ॥

na vai sa ātmātmavatāṁ suhṛttamaḥ

saktas tri-lokyāṁ bhagavān vāsudevaḥ

na strī-kṛtaṁ kaśmalam aśnuvīta

na lakṣmaṇaṁ cāpi vihātum arhati

Translation

Since Lord Śrī Rāmacandra is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, He is not attached to anything in this material world. He is the most beloved Supersoul of all self-realized souls, and He is their very intimate friend. He is full of all opulences. Therefore He could not possibly have suffered because of separation from His wife, nor could He have given up His wife and Lakṣmaṇa, His younger brother. To give up either would have been absolutely impossible.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Cherishes His Devotees

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead possesses all six opulences: wealth, fame, strength, influence, beauty and renunciation. His renunciation means freedom from material attachment, not indifference toward His spiritual servants.

  2. 2

    The Lord is attached to those who render transcendental loving service to Him. Although He is the Supersoul of all, He is specifically manifest to self-realized souls and especially dear to His devotees.

  3. 3

    Lord Rāmacandra apparently gave up Sītādevī and Lakṣmaṇa to teach the duties of a king, but He could not actually give Them up. His transcendental activities should be learned from a self-realized soul.

Key points from the purport
  • Therefore the Lord is completely detached and need not give attention to the material world.
  • Similarly, Lord Lakṣmaṇa, Rāmacandra’s younger brother, is a manifestation of Saṅkarṣaṇa, and Lord Rāmacandra Himself is Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • One should therefore learn about the activities of Lord Rāmacandra from a self-realized soul.

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:

Sārvaṇi Manu and the inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa engage in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the origin of creation, maintenance and annihilation and who is always worshiped by self-realized souls.
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. nanot
  2. vaiindeed
  3. saḥHe
  4. ātmāthe Supreme Soul
  5. ātmavatāmof the self-realized souls
  6. suhṛt-tamaḥthe best friend
  7. saktaḥattached
  8. tri-lokyāmto anything within the three worlds
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 5.19

    In this verse: “attached”, “material”, “attachment”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 5.19

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

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 5.19

    In this verse: “friend”

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

How does the Lord’s affection for His servants deepen my desire to serve Him?

Practice

Reread one passage of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s purport today, focusing on the Lord’s affection for those who serve Him.

5

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 5.19's connections

Live this todayThe Lord Cherishes His DevoteesThis 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 5.19.6? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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