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

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Canto 6 · Prescribed Duties for Mankind · 19 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 6 · Chapter 1: The History of the Life of Ajāmila
6.1.506.1.52

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.1.51

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Yamadūtassince 6.1.40inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitThe Viṣṇudūtas → the Yamadūtas

तदेतत्षोडशकलं लिङ्गं शक्तित्रयं महत् ।

धत्तेऽनुसंसृतिं पुंसि हर्षशोकभयार्तिदाम् ॥ ५१ ॥

tad etat ṣoḍaśa-kalaṁ

liṅgaṁ śakti-trayaṁ mahat

dhatte ’nusaṁsṛtiṁ puṁsi

harṣa-śoka-bhayārtidām

Translation

The subtle body is endowed with sixteen parts — the five knowledge-acquiring senses, the five working senses, the five objects of sense gratification, and the mind. This subtle body is an effect of the three modes of material nature. It is composed of insurmountably strong desires, and therefore it causes the living entity to transmigrate from one body to another in human life, animal life and life as a demigod. When the living entity gets the body of a demigod, he is certainly very jubilant, when he gets a human body he is always in lamentation, and when he gets the body of an animal, he is always afraid. In all conditions, however, he is actually miserable. His miserable condition is called saṁsṛti, or transmigration in material life.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Surrender Frees Us from Material Entanglement

  1. 1

    The subtle body has sixteen parts and is an effect of the three modes of material nature. Its strong desires carry the living entity from one body to another.

  2. 2

    The living entity struggles alone, life after life, experiencing jubilation, lamentation and fear. This material conditional life is called saṁsṛti.

  3. 3

    The force of material nature is insurmountably strong. Yet surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead frees the living entity from this entanglement and makes life successful.

Key points from the purport
  • The sum and substance of material conditional life is explained in this verse.
  • This struggle is called saṁsṛti, or material conditional life.
  • Material nature harasses the living entity in different bodies, but if the living entity surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes free from this entanglement, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te).

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

Guilt and mortal terror → Mercy and renewed devotion. The holy name opens a path beyond an apparently hopeless death.

Chapters 1–3 of Canto 6: Ajāmila and the Viṣṇudūtas. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 1: The History of the Life of Ajāmila

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

While performing fruitive activities one can become free from the actions of sinful life through austerity, penance, celibacy, control of the mind and senses, truthfulness and the practice of mystic yoga. By awakening knowledge one may also neutralize sinful reactions.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.1
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tattherefore
  2. etatthis
  3. ṣoḍaśa-kalammade of sixteen parts (namely the ten senses, the mind and the five sense objects)
  4. liṅgamthe subtle body
  5. śakti-trayamthe effect of the three modes of material nature
  6. mahatinsurmountable
  7. dhattegives
  8. anusaṁsṛtimalmost perpetual rotation and transmigration in different types of bodies
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 6.1

    In this verse: “sense gratification”, “material”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 6.1

    In this verse: “afraid”, “fear”

  • Viraha · Longing in separation

    Love and remembrance experienced in apparent absence. · Theme in SB 6.1

    In this verse: “lamentation”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I seeking only a more comfortable material situation, or freedom through surrender to the Lord?

Practice

Take a quiet moment today to ask the Supreme Personality of Godhead for shelter from material entanglement.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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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 todaySurrender Frees Us from Material EntanglementThis 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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