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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.5.22

Who is speaking and story frame

स्वरब्रह्मणि निर्भातहृषीकेशपदाम्बुजे ।

अखण्डं चित्तमावेश्य लोकाननुचरन्मुनि: ॥ २२ ॥

svara-brahmaṇi nirbhāta-

hṛṣīkeśa-padāmbuje

akhaṇḍaṁ cittam āveśya

lokān anucaran muniḥ

Translation

The seven musical notes — ṣa, ṛ, gā, ma, pa, dha and ni — are used in musical instruments, but originally they come from the Sāma Veda. The great sage Nārada vibrates sounds describing the pastimes of the Supreme Lord. By such transcendental vibrations, such as Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, he fixes his mind at the lotus feet of the Lord. Thus he directly perceives Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses. After delivering the Haryaśvas, Nārada Muni continued traveling throughout the planetary systems, his mind always fixed at the lotus feet of the Lord.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Chant to Remember and Please Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Nārada Muni always chants about the Lord’s pastimes and delivers fallen souls back to Godhead. His mind remains fixed at the Lord’s lotus feet.

  2. 2

    Those following Nārada Muni should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and share the teachings of the scriptures. This service pleases Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  3. 3

    The bona fide spiritual master represents Nārada Muni and teaches the same instructions of Kṛṣṇa. These instructions are to think of Kṛṣṇa, become His devotee, worship Him and surrender unto Him.

Key points from the purport
  • The goodness of the great sage Nārada Muni is described herewith.
  • Thus the Gauḍīya Mādhva sampradāya is in the disciplic succession from Nārada Muni.
  • The members of this disciplic succession — in other words, the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement — should follow in the footsteps of Nārada Muni by chanting the transcendental vibration Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

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 6.5.22 quotesBG 18.65

Both Nārada Muni and the present spiritual master speak the same teachings of Kṛṣṇa, who says in Bhagavad-gītā (18.65-66):

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

Anger and conflict → Spiritual commitment. Competing understandings of duty create relational tension.

Chapters 4–6 of Canto 6: Dakṣa, Nārada and the consequences of preaching. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 5: Nārada Muni Cursed by Prajāpati Dakṣa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

However, when Śrīla Nārada Muni saw these boys engaged in such commendable austerities simply for material creation, he thought it better to release them from this tendency. Nārada Muni described to the boys their ultimate goal of life and advised them not to become ordinary karmīs to beget children.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.5
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. svara-brahmaṇiin spiritual sound
  2. nirbhātaplacing clearly before the mind
  3. hṛṣīkeśaof the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, the master of the senses
  4. padāmbujethe lotus feet
  5. akhaṇḍamunbroken
  6. cittamconsciousness
  7. āveśyaengaging
  8. lokānall the planetary systems
  9. anucarattraveled around
  10. muniḥthe great sage Nārada Muni
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 6.5

    In this verse: “devotee”, “worship”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 6.5

    In this verse: “chants”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 6.5

    In this verse: “surrender”

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 give more attentive remembrance of Kṛṣṇa to my chanting?

Practice

Slowly chant once: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayChant to Remember and Please KṛṣṇaThis 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 6.5.22? Get an answer from the verses themselves.