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

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Canto 7 · The Science of God · 15 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 7 · Chapter 11: The Perfect Society: Four Social Classes
7.11.157.11.17

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.11.16

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 7.11.5inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

वार्ता विचित्रा शालीनयायावरशिलोञ्छनम् ।

विप्रवृत्तिश्चतुर्धेयं श्रेयसी चोत्तरोत्तरा ॥ १६ ॥

vārtā vicitrā śālīna-

yāyāvara-śiloñchanam

vipra-vṛttiś caturdheyaṁ

śreyasī cottarottarā

Translation

As an alternative, a brāhmaṇa may also take to the vaiśya’s occupational duty of agriculture, cow protection, or trade. He may depend on that which he has received without begging, he may beg in the paddy field every day, he may collect paddy left in a field by its proprietor, or he may collect food grains left here and there in the shops of grain dealers. These are four means of livelihood that may also be adopted by brāhmaṇas. Among these four, each of them in succession is better than the one preceding it.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Simple Means of Maintaining Life

  1. 1

    A brāhmaṇa may sometimes receive land and cows in charity. He may maintain himself by cultivating the land, protecting cows, and trading his surplus.

  2. 2

    Other means of livelihood include receiving without begging, begging paddy, collecting grains left in fields, and collecting grains left in dealers’ shops.

  3. 3

    Among these four means, each successive one is better than the preceding one. The purport especially recommends collecting leftover grains without begging.

Key points from the purport
  • A brāhmaṇa is sometimes offered land and cows in charity, and thus for his livelihood he may act in the same way as a vaiśya, by cultivating land, giving protection to cows and trading off his surpluses.
  • A better process, however, is to pick up grains from a field or from a dealer’s shop without begging.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Seriousness → Principled living. The example of bhakti becomes a guide to daily life.

Chapters 11–15 of Canto 7: Teachings on social and spiritual conduct. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 11: The Perfect Society: Four Social Classes

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The duty of a kṣatriya is to give protection to the citizens and levy taxes upon them, but he is forbidden to tax the brāhmaṇas. The members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should therefore be exempt from government taxation.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.11
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. vārtāthe occupational means of livelihood for the vaiśya (agriculture, cow protection, and trade)
  2. vicitrāvarious types
  3. śālīnalivelihood achieved without effort
  4. yāyāvaragoing to the field to beg for some paddy
  5. śilapicking up the grains left in the field by the proprietor
  6. uñchanampicking up the grains that have fallen from bags in shops
  7. vipra-vṛttiḥthe means of livelihood for the brāhmaṇas
  8. caturdhāfour different kinds
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 7.11

    In this verse: “protection”, “protecting”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 7.11

    In this verse: “duty”

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

What can I learn from this preference for a simple livelihood?

Practice

Prepare one meal using food you already have, taking care not to waste any grains.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todaySimple Means of Maintaining LifeThis 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 7.11.16? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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