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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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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 6: The Activities of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva
5.6.35.6.5

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 5.6.4

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 5.6.2inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

नित्यं ददाति कामस्यच्छिद्रं तमनु येऽरय: ।

योगिन: कृतमैत्रस्य पत्युर्जायेव पुंश्चली ॥ ४ ॥

nityaṁ dadāti kāmasya

cchidraṁ tam anu ye ’rayaḥ

yoginaḥ kṛta-maitrasya

patyur jāyeva puṁścalī

Translation

An unchaste woman is very easily carried away by paramours, and it sometimes happens that her husband is violently killed by her paramours. If the yogī gives his mind a chance and does not restrain it, his mind will give facility to enemies like lust, anger and greed, and they will doubtlessly kill the yogī.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Restrain the Mind’s Harmful Impulses

  1. 1

    An unrestrained mind gives an opening to enemies such as lust, anger and greed. These can ruin a yogī’s spiritual progress.

  2. 2

    Someone desiring freedom from material conditions must always keep the mind under control. Trusting its impulses leaves one vulnerable.

  3. 3

    When a yogī becomes controlled by the mind, he falls back into the material condition. The purport therefore stresses constant care in disciplining the mind.

Key points from the purport
  • An unchaste wife can kill her husband at any time, and an uncontrolled mind, followed by lust, anger, greed, madness, envy and illusion, can certainly kill the yogī.
  • When the yogī is controlled by the mind, he falls down into the material condition.
  • One should be very careful of the mind, just as a husband should be careful of an unchaste wife.

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 6: The Activities of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Even the mind of the advanced yogī Saubhari created such a disturbance that he lost his yogic mystic powers. Due to a restless mind, even a very advanced yogī can fall down.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.6
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nityamalways
  2. dadātigives
  3. kāmasyaof lust
  4. chidramfacility
  5. tamthat (lust)
  6. anufollowing
  7. yethose
  8. arayaḥenemies
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 5.6

    In this verse: “lust”, “material”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which impulse most often gains an opening when I stop watching my mind?

Practice

When anger or greed arises today, pause before acting and refuse to follow that impulse.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

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

1 lecture given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayRestrain the Mind’s Harmful ImpulsesThis 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 5.6.4? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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