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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 2: Ajāmila Delivered by the Viṣṇudūtas
6.2.116.2.13

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.2.12

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Viṣṇudūtassince 6.2.8inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitThe Viṣṇudūtas → the Yamadūtas

नैकान्तिकं तद्धि कृतेऽपि निष्कृते

मन: पुनर्धावति चेदसत्पथे ।

तत्कर्मनिर्हारमभीप्सतां हरे-

र्गुणानुवाद: खलु सत्त्वभावन: ॥ १२ ॥

naikāntikaṁ tad dhi kṛte ’pi niṣkṛte

manaḥ punar dhāvati ced asat-pathe

tat karma-nirhāram abhīpsatāṁ harer

guṇānuvādaḥ khalu sattva-bhāvanaḥ

Translation

The ritualistic ceremonies of atonement recommended in the religious scriptures are insufficient to cleanse the heart absolutely because after atonement one’s mind again runs toward material activities. Consequently, for one who wants liberation from the fruitive reactions of material activities, the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, or glorification of the name, fame and pastimes of the Lord, is recommended as the most perfect process of atonement because such chanting eradicates the dirt from one’s heart completely.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa Personally Cleanses the Devotee's Heart

  1. 1

    Ritualistic atonement does not cleanse the heart completely when the mind returns to material activities. Chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and glorifying the Lord are recommended for complete purification.

  2. 2

    Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead present in everyone's heart, personally helps remove desires for material enjoyment from the devotee who hears and glorifies Him.

  3. 3

    Hearing and chanting about the Lord are devotional service and purify even those who do not understand their meaning. This easy austerity purifies one's existence in a way that karma, jñāna, and yoga cannot accomplish completely.

Key points from the purport
  • It is the special mercy of the Supreme Lord that as soon as He knows that one is glorifying His name, fame and attributes, He personally helps cleanse the dirt from one’s heart.
  • The tapasya of chanting and glorifying the name, fame and attributes of the Lord is a very easy purifying process by which everyone can be happy.
  • Therefore everyone who desires the ultimate cleansing of his heart must adopt this process.

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· 2

The purport of SB 6.2.12 quotesSB 1.2.17

The statements in this verse have been confirmed previously in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.17): “Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who relishes His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.”

The purport of SB 6.2.12 quotesSB 5.5.1

Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.5.1) says, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet: one must perform tapasya, austerity, to purify his existence in order to come to the spiritual platform.

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

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 2: Ajāmila Delivered by the Viṣṇudūtas

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

He has already undergone true atonement for all his sinful actions. If one atones according to the directions of the śāstras, one does not actually become free from sinful reactions, but if one chants the holy name of the Lord, even a glimpse of such chanting can immediately free one from all sins.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.2
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nanot
  2. aikāntikamabsolutely cleansed
  3. tatthe heart
  4. hibecause
  5. kṛtevery nicely performed
  6. apialthough
  7. niṣkṛteatonement
  8. manaḥthe mind
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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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 6.2

    In this verse: “chanting”, “glorification”, “hearing”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 6.2

    In this verse: “cleanse”, “purification”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 6.2

    In this verse: “material”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I make hearing and chanting a more regular part of caring for my heart?

Practice

Spend two minutes today chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and listening carefully to the names.

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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.

7

Connected stories

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

The purport quotesSB 1.2.17SB 5.5.1

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 6.2's connections

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Personally Cleanses the Devotee's HeartThis 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 6.2.12? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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