1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

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

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 6 · Prescribed Duties for Mankind · 19 chapters

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 6.3.31

Who is speaking and story frame

तस्मात् सङ्कीर्तनं विष्णोर्जगन्मङ्गलमंहसाम् ।

महतामपि कौरव्य विद्ध्यैकान्तिकनिष्कृतम् ॥ ३१ ॥

tasmāt saṅkīrtanaṁ viṣṇor

jagan-maṅgalam aṁhasām

mahatām api kauravya

viddhy aikāntika-niṣkṛtam

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting of the saṅkīrtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe. Please try to understand this so that others will take it seriously.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Chant Sincerely, Never to Excuse Sin

  1. 1

    Chanting the Lord’s holy name can uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. The saṅkīrtana movement is therefore the most auspicious activity in the universe.

  2. 2

    Although Ajāmila chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa imperfectly, he was delivered from all sinful reactions.

  3. 3

    One must never deliberately sin with the intention of neutralizing the reactions by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa; that is an offense. The Lord excuses accidental wrongdoing by a devotee, but one should carefully avoid intentional sinful acts.

Key points from the purport
  • The chanting of the holy name is so auspicious that it can free everyone from the reactions of sinful activities.
  • One should not conclude that one may continue to sin with the intention of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa to neutralize the reactions.
  • Rather, one should be very careful to be free from all sins and never think of counteracting sinful activities by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, for this is another offense.

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

Quoted in the purport ofSB 6.3.24

Furthermore, he quotes from Bhāgavatam (6.3.31): All these quotations prove that one who constantly engages in chanting and hearing of the holy activities, name, fame and form of the Lord is liberated.

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 3: Yamarāja Instructs His Messengers

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

One who chants, hears or remembers the holy name of the Lord without duplicity, or who prays or offers obeisances to the Lord, becomes perfect, whereas even a learned person may be called to hell if he is bereft of devotional service.” After Yamarāja thus described the glories of the Lord and His devotees, Śukadeva Gosvāmī further explained the potency of chanting the holy name and the futility of performing Vedic ritualistic ceremonies and pious activities for atonement.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.3
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tasmāttherefore
  2. saṅkīrtanamthe congregational chanting of the holy name
  3. viṣṇoḥof Lord Viṣṇu
  4. jagat-maṅgalamthe most auspicious performance within this material world
  5. aṁhasāmfor sinful activities
  6. mahatām apieven though very great
  7. kauravyaO descendant of the Kuru family
  8. viddhiunderstand
  9. aikāntikathe ultimate
  10. niṣkṛtamatonement
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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 6.3

    In this verse: “chanting”, “holy name”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 6.3

    In this verse: “sins”, “sinful”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 6.3

    In this verse: “king”

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

Do I approach chanting as a sincere means of purification rather than an excuse to continue wrongdoing?

Practice

Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa today while renewing your intention not to deliberately repeat a wrong action.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

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 todayChant Sincerely, Never to Excuse SinThis 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 6.3.31? Get an answer from the verses themselves.