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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 5.3.4-5

Who is speaking and story frame

ऋत्विज ऊचु:

अर्हसि मुहुरर्हत्तमार्हणमस्माकमनुपथानां नमो नम इत्येतावत्सदुपशिक्षितं कोऽर्हति पुमान् प्रकृतिगुणव्यतिकरमतिरनीश ईश्वरस्य परस्य प्रकृतिपुरुषयोरर्वाक्तनाभिर्नामरूपाकृतिभी रूपनिरूपणम् ॥ ४ ॥ सकलजननिकायवृजिननिरसनशिवतमप्रवरगुणगणैकदेशकथनाद‍ृते ॥ ५ ॥

ṛtvija ūcuḥ

arhasi muhur arhattamārhaṇam asmākam anupathānāṁ namo nama ity etāvat sad-upaśikṣitaṁ ko ’rhati pumān prakṛti-guṇa-vyatikara-matir anīśa īśvarasya parasya prakṛti-puruṣayor arvāktanābhir nāma-rūpākṛtibhī rūpa-nirūpaṇam; sakala-jana-nikāya-vṛjina-nirasana-śivatama-pravara-guṇa-gaṇaika-deśa-kathanād ṛte.

Translation

The priests began to offer prayers to the Lord, saying: O most worshipable one, we are simply Your servants. Although You are full in Yourself, please, out of Your causeless mercy, accept a little service from us, Your eternal servants. We are not actually aware of Your transcendental form, but we can simply offer our respectful obeisances again and again, as instructed by the Vedic literatures and authorized ācāryas. Materialistic living entities are very much attracted to the modes of material nature, and therefore they are never perfect, but You are above the jurisdiction of all material conceptions. Your name, form and qualities are all transcendental and beyond the conception of experimental knowledge. Indeed, who can conceive of You? In the material world we can perceive only material names and qualities. We have no other power than to offer our respectful obeisances and prayers unto You, the transcendental person. The chanting of Your auspicious transcendental qualities will wipe out the sins of all mankind. That is the most auspicious activity for us, and we can thus partially understand Your supernatural position.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Know the Lord Through Hearing and Service

  1. 1

    The Lord’s name, form and qualities are beyond material perception. We must accept the descriptions in Vedic literature and from authorized teachers rather than invent our own.

  2. 2

    The priests approached as eternal servants, asking the self-sufficient Lord to accept their little service. They offered respectful obeisances and praised His auspicious transcendental qualities.

  3. 3

    The Lord reveals Himself when we engage in His devotional service. Hearing authoritative descriptions and serving Him is the way to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • The Supreme Personality of Godhead has nothing to do with material perception.
  • We cannot concoct the form and attributes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • This is the only way to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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 personally appeared before the King in His four-handed feature, and the priests who were performing the sacrifices, began to offer their prayers unto Him. They prayed for a son like the Lord, and Lord Viṣṇu agreed to take birth in the womb of Merudevī, the wife of King Nābhi, and incarnate as King Ṛṣabhadeva.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.3
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ṛtvijaḥ ūcuḥthe priests said
  2. arhasiplease (accept)
  3. muhuḥagain and again
  4. arhat-tamaO most exalted, worshipable person
  5. arhaṇamoffering of worship
  6. asmākamof us
  7. anupathānāmwho are Your servants
  8. namaḥrespectful obeisances
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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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “understand”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 5.3

    In this verse: “mercy”, “causeless”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 5.3

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

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

Do I seek to understand the Lord through authoritative descriptions or through my own imagination?

Practice

Read the priests’ prayer aloud today and ask the Lord to accept your small service.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayKnow the Lord Through Hearing and ServiceThis 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 5.3.4-5? Get an answer from the verses themselves.