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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 16: King Citraketu Meets the Supreme Lord
6.16.226.16.24

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.16.23

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 6.16.12inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitAṅgirā and Nārada Muni → King Citraketu

यन्न स्पृशन्ति न विदुर्मनोबुद्धीन्द्रियासव: ।

अन्तर्बहिश्च विततं व्योमवत्तन्नतोऽस्म्यहम् ॥ २३ ॥

yan na spṛśanti na vidur

mano-buddhīndriyāsavaḥ

antar bahiś ca vitataṁ

vyomavat tan nato ’smy aham

Translation

The Supreme Brahman emanates from the Supreme Personality of Godhead and expands like the sky. Although untouched by anything material, it exists within and without. Nonetheless, the mind, intelligence, senses and living force can neither touch Him nor know Him. I offer unto Him my respectful obeisances.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Is Beyond Material Knowing

  1. 1

    The Supreme Brahman emanates from the Supreme Personality of Godhead and expands like the sky.

  2. 2

    Although untouched by anything material, Brahman exists within and without.

  3. 3

    The mind, intelligence, senses and living force can neither touch nor know Him. The prayer responds with respectful obeisances.

How it feels

Parental grief → Detachment and surrender. A flashback discloses the devotional history behind Vṛtrāsura.

Chapters 14–17 of Canto 6: Citraketu's grief, realization and curse. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 16: King Citraketu Meets the Supreme Lord

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Thereafter, Nārada Muni chanted prayers to Nārāyaṇa, who exists as catur-vyūha, and instructed Citraketu about the Supreme Lord, who creates, maintains and annihilates everything and who is the master of the material nature. After instructing King Citraketu in this way, he returned to Brahmaloka.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.16
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yatwhom
  2. nanot
  3. spṛśantican touch
  4. nanor
  5. viduḥcan know
  6. manaḥthe mind
  7. buddhithe intelligence
  8. indriyathe senses
3

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 6.16

    In this verse: “material”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does this prayer teach you about the limits of your mind and senses?

Practice

Read the prayer slowly once, then offer respectful obeisances with awareness of the limits of material understanding.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Is Beyond Material KnowingThis 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 6.16.23? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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