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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 3: Ṛṣabhadeva’s Appearance in the Womb of Merudevī, the Wife of King Nābhi
5.3.105.3.12

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 5.3.11

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The priestssince 5.3.4-5inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

असङ्गनिशितज्ञानानलविधूताशेषमलानां भवत्स्वभावानामात्मारामाणां मुनीनामनवरतपरिगुणितगुणगण परममङ्गलायनगुणगणकथनोऽसि ॥ ११ ॥

asaṅga-niśita-jñānānala-vidhūtāśeṣa-malānāṁ bhavat-svabhāvānām ātmārāmāṇāṁ munīnām anavarata-pariguṇita-guṇa-gaṇa parama-maṅgalāyana-guṇa-gaṇa-kathano ’si.

Translation

Dear Lord, all the great sages who are thoughtful and saintly persons incessantly recount Your spiritual qualities. These sages have already burned up all the unlimited dirty things and, by the fire of knowledge, strengthened their detachment from the material world. Thus they have attained Your qualities and are self-satisfied. Yet even for those who feel spiritual bliss in chanting Your attributes, Your personal presence is very rare.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Find Satisfaction in Chanting the Lord’s Glories

  1. 1

    Great saintly persons become detached from the material world, and their hearts become clean by constantly chanting the Lord’s glories.

  2. 2

    They are satisfied by chanting His transcendental qualities. They do not require His personal presence to feel spiritual bliss.

  3. 3

    The personal appearance of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu is rare even for such elevated sages. The priests felt deeply grateful that He had kindly appeared before them.

Key points from the purport
  • The priests in Mahārāja Nābhi’s sacrificial arena appreciated the personal presence of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, and they considered themselves very much obliged.
  • The Lord’s appearance is rare even for great saintly persons who have become completely detached from this material world and whose hearts are clean due to constantly chanting the glories of the Lord.
  • The priests are pointing out that the Lord’s personal presence is very rare even for such elevated sages but that He was so kind to them that now He was personally present.

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

Responsibility → Renunciation. Leadership is set beside the renounced ideal.

Chapters 1–6 of Canto 5: Priyavrata and Ṛṣabhadeva. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 3: Ṛṣabhadeva’s Appearance in the Womb of Merudevī, the Wife of King Nābhi

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

He performed many sacrifices along with his wife and worshiped Lord Viṣṇu, master of all sacrifices. Being very kind to His devotees, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was very pleased with the austerities of Mahārāja Nābhi.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.3
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. asaṅgaby detachment
  2. niśitastrengthened
  3. jñānaof knowledge
  4. analaby the fire
  5. vidhūtaremoved
  6. aśeṣaunlimited
  7. malānāmwhose dirty things
  8. bhavat-svabhāvānāmwho have attained Your qualities
3

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

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 5.3

    In this verse: “detachment”, “detached”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 5.3

    In this verse: “knowledge”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 5.3

    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

How can I cultivate gratitude while chanting the Lord’s glories?

Practice

Spend two minutes chanting the Lord’s glories, with gratitude for the opportunity.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayFind Satisfaction in Chanting the Lord’s GloriesThis 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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