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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 · Text 5.7.6

Who is speaking and story frame

सम्प्रचरत्सु नानायागेषु विरचिताङ्गक्रियेष्वपूर्वं यत्तत्क्रियाफलं धर्माख्यं परे ब्रह्मणि यज्ञपुरुषे सर्वदेवतालिङ्गानां मन्त्राणामर्थनियामकतया साक्षात्कर्तरि परदेवतायां भगवति वासुदेव एव भावयमान आत्मनैपुण्यमृदितकषायो हवि:ष्वध्वर्युभिर्गृह्यमाणेषु स यजमानो यज्ञभाजो देवांस्तान् पुरुषावयवेष्वभ्यध्यायत् ॥ ६ ॥

sampracaratsu nānā-yāgeṣu viracitāṅga-kriyeṣv apūrvaṁ yat tat kriyā-phalaṁ dharmākhyaṁ pare brahmaṇi yajña-puruṣe sarva-devatā-liṅgānāṁ mantrāṇām artha-niyāma-katayā sākṣāt-kartari para-devatāyāṁ bhagavati vāsudeva eva bhāvayamāna ātma-naipuṇya-mṛdita-kaṣāyo haviḥṣv adhvaryubhir gṛhyamāṇeṣu sa yajamāno yajña-bhājo devāṁs tān puruṣāvayaveṣv abhyadhyāyat.

Translation

After performing the preliminaries of various sacrifices, Mahārāja Bharata offered the results in the name of religion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. In other words, he performed all the yajñas for the satisfaction of Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Mahārāja Bharata thought that since the demigods were different parts of Vāsudeva’s body, He controls those who are explained in the Vedic mantras. By thinking in this way, Mahārāja Bharata was freed from all material contamination, such as attachment, lust and greed. When the priests were about to offer the sacrificial ingredients into the fire, Mahārāja Bharata expertly understood how the offering made to different demigods was simply an offering to the different limbs of the Lord. For instance, Indra is the arm of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Sūrya [the sun] is His eye. Thus Mahārāja Bharata considered that the oblations offered to different demigods were actually offered unto the different limbs of Lord Vāsudeva.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Act for Kṛṣṇa’s Satisfaction

  1. 1

    Bharata Mahārāja performed sacrifices simply to follow Vāsudeva’s orders and please Him. Whatever we do, we should constantly remember Vāsudeva.

  2. 2

    The demigods are parts of the Supreme Lord’s body. Serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead satisfies them, just as watering a tree’s root nourishes its branches, fruits and flowers.

  3. 3

    Work for personal satisfaction brings bondage, but work for Kṛṣṇa does not. Pure devotees act for the Lord’s pleasure, so the results of their service are spiritual and permanent.

Key points from the purport
  • When one offers sacrifices to different demigods, one should remember that the demigods are simply parts of the body of the Supreme.
  • There are many offerings to different demigods, and one should always remember that these offerings are usually meant to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • Following the instructions of Bharata Mahārāja, we should act not for our personal satisfaction but for the satisfaction of 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.

Connected verses· 5

The purport of SB 5.7.6 quotesBG 18.66

As Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā, sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me.”

The purport of SB 5.7.6 quotesBG 5.29

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā: bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram.

The purport of SB 5.7.6 quotesBG 9.10

Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: “This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings.”

The purport of SB 5.7.6 quotesBG 3.9

Yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ: “Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work binds one to this material world.”

The purport of SB 5.7.6 quotesBG 17.28

In Bhagavad-gītā (17.28) it is also stated: na ca tat pretya no iha

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Compassion and attachment → Regret and vigilance. Affection becomes binding when it displaces devotion.

Chapters 7–9 of Canto 5: Bharata, the deer and the birth of Jaḍa Bharata. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 7: The Activities of King Bharata

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Bharata Mahārāja performed various ritualistic ceremonies (Vedic yajñas) and satisfied the Supreme Lord by his different modes of worship. In due course of time, he left home and resided in Hardwar and passed his days in devotional activities.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.7
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sampracaratsuwhen beginning to perform
  2. nānā-yāgeṣuvarious kinds of sacrifice
  3. viracita-aṅga-kriyeṣuin which the supplementary rites were performed
  4. apūrvamremote
  5. yatwhatever
  6. tatthat
  7. kriyā-phalamthe result of such sacrifice
  8. dharma-ākhyamby the name of religion
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 5.7

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

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 5.7

    In this verse: “contamination”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 5.7

    In this verse: “religion”

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

In my work today, am I seeking only my own satisfaction or the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Before beginning one task, pause to remember Kṛṣṇa and dedicate the work to His satisfaction.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Live this todayAct for Kṛṣṇa’s SatisfactionThis 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 5.7.6? Get an answer from the verses themselves.