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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.
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Canto 6 · Chapter 12: Vṛtrāsura’s Glorious Death
6.12.146.12.16

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.12.15

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Vṛtrāsurasince 6.12.7inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति प्रकृतेर्नात्मनो गुणा: ।

तत्र साक्षिणमात्मानं यो वेद स न बध्यते ॥ १५ ॥

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti

prakṛter nātmano guṇāḥ

tatra sākṣiṇam ātmānaṁ

yo veda sa na badhyate

Translation

One who knows that the three qualities — goodness, passion and ignorance — are not qualities of the soul but qualities of material nature, and who knows that the pure soul is simply an observer of the actions and reactions of these qualities, should be understood to be a liberated person. He is not bound by these qualities.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Remain Kṛṣṇa Conscious Amid Change

  1. 1

    Goodness, passion and ignorance belong to material nature, not to the pure soul. The soul is an observer of their actions and reactions.

  2. 2

    The real qualification of a liberated soul is to remain Kṛṣṇa conscious, undisturbed by material changes. In self-realization, one becomes joyful and attains pure devotional service.

  3. 3

    Since everything is supplied by the Supreme Lord, one should not judge everything by personal sense gratification. One should receive everything as His mercy and remain steady.

Key points from the purport
  • The living being, the pure soul, has nothing to do with these modes.
  • In the midst of the hurricane of the material world, everything changes very quickly, but if one remains silent and simply observes the actions and reactions of the hurricane, he is understood to be liberated.
  • The real qualification of the liberated soul is that he remains Kṛṣṇa conscious, undisturbed by the actions and reactions of the material energy.

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· 1

The purport of SB 6.12.15 quotesBG 18.54

As the Lord explains in Bhagavad-gītā (18.54): “One who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful.

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

Danger → Fearless longing. A seeming enemy reveals the heart of a great devotee.

Chapters 11–13 of Canto 6: Vṛtrāsura's prayers and final battle. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 12: Vṛtrāsura’s Glorious Death

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

No one but Him has any independence. The puruṣa (the enjoyer) and prakṛti (the enjoyed) are under the control of the Lord, for it is by His supervision that everything works systematically.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.12
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sattvamthe mode of goodness
  2. rajaḥthe mode of passion
  3. tamaḥthe mode of ignorance
  4. itithus
  5. prakṛteḥof the material nature
  6. nanot
  7. ātmanaḥof the spirit soul
  8. guṇāḥthe qualities
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 6.12

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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 6.12

    In this verse: “devotional service”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 6.12

    In this verse: “mercy”

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 remain Kṛṣṇa conscious rather than identify with a changing material mood?

Practice

During one change of mood today, pause, observe it, and remember that you are the soul, not the qualities of material nature.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRemain Kṛṣṇa Conscious Amid ChangeThis 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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