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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 7.11.8-12

Who is speaking and story frame

सत्यं दया तप: शौचं तितिक्षेक्षा शमो दम: ।

अहिंसा ब्रह्मचर्यं च त्याग: स्वाध्याय आर्जवम् ॥ ८ ॥

सन्तोष: समद‍ृक्सेवा ग्राम्येहोपरम: शनै: ।

नृणां विपर्ययेहेक्षा मौनमात्मविमर्शनम् ॥ ९ ॥

अन्नाद्यादे: संविभागो भूतेभ्यश्च यथार्हत: ।

तेष्वात्मदेवताबुद्धि: सुतरां नृषु पाण्डव ॥ १० ॥

श्रवणं कीर्तनं चास्य स्मरणं महतां गते: ।

सेवेज्यावनतिर्दास्यं सख्यमात्मसमर्पणम् ॥ ११ ॥

नृणामयं परो धर्म: सर्वेषां समुदाहृत: ।

त्रिंशल्लक्षणवान् राजन्सर्वात्मा येन तुष्यति ॥ १२ ॥

satyaṁ dayā tapaḥ śaucaṁ

titikṣekṣā śamo damaḥ

ahiṁsā brahmacaryaṁ ca

tyāgaḥ svādhyāya ārjavam

santoṣaḥ samadṛk-sevā

grāmyehoparamaḥ śanaiḥ

nṛṇāṁ viparyayehekṣā

maunam ātma-vimarśanam

annādyādeḥ saṁvibhāgo

bhūtebhyaś ca yathārhataḥ

teṣv ātma-devatā-buddhiḥ

sutarāṁ nṛṣu pāṇḍava

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ cāsya

smaraṇaṁ mahatāṁ gateḥ

sevejyāvanatir dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-samarpaṇam

nṛṇām ayaṁ paro dharmaḥ

sarveṣāṁ samudāhṛtaḥ

triṁśal-lakṣaṇavān rājan

sarvātmā yena tuṣyati

Translation

These are the general principles to be followed by all human beings: truthfulness, mercy, austerity (observing fasts on certain days of the month), bathing twice a day, tolerance, discrimination between right and wrong, control of the mind, control of the senses, nonviolence, celibacy, charity, reading of scripture, simplicity, satisfaction, rendering service to saintly persons, gradually taking leave of unnecessary engagements, observing the futility of the unnecessary activities of human society, remaining silent and grave and avoiding unnecessary talk, considering whether one is the body or the soul, distributing food equally to all living entities (both men and animals), seeing every soul (especially in the human form) as a part of the Supreme Lord, hearing about the activities and instructions given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead (who is the shelter of the saintly persons), chanting about these activities and instructions, always remembering these activities and instructions, trying to render service, performing worship, offering obeisances, becoming a servant, becoming a friend, and surrendering one’s whole self. O King Yudhiṣṭhira, these thirty qualifications must be acquired in the human form of life. Simply by acquiring these qualifications, one can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Develop Good Qualities Through Devotion

  1. 1

    All human beings should be trained in the thirty qualities, including truthfulness, mercy, cleanliness, restraint and satisfaction. These qualities are needed for peace, regardless of religious affiliation.

  2. 2

    One should cleanse the body externally and the mind internally by remembering the Lord’s holy name. Everyone should learn simplicity in thought and feeling and satisfaction in body and mind.

  3. 3

    Hearing, chanting, remembering, serving, worshiping and surrendering to the Lord satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unflinching devotional service to Kṛṣṇa brings the other good qualities.

Key points from the purport
  • In order that human beings be distinct from the animals, the great saint Nārada recommends that every human being be educated in terms of the above-mentioned thirty qualifications.
  • Therefore, without consideration of one’s belonging to a sectarian religion, whether Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist or any other sect, everyone should be taught to become truthful.
  • Everyone should bathe twice a day, cleanse his teeth and body externally, and cleanse his mind internally by remembering the holy name of the Lord.

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 7.11.8-12 quotesSB 5.18.12

However, he who has no devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead has no good qualifications because he is engaged by mental concoction in material existence, which is the external feature of the Lord.”

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

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:

Every human being is expected to acquire thirty qualities, such as truthfulness, mercy and austerity. The process of following the principles of religion is known as sanātana-dharma, the eternal religious system.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.11
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. satyamspeaking the truth without distortion or deviation
  2. dayāsympathy to everyone suffering
  3. tapaḥausterities (such as observing fasts at least twice in a month on the day of Ekādaśī)
  4. śaucamcleanliness (bathing regularly at least twice a day, morning and evening, and remembering to chant the holy name of God)
  5. titikṣātoleration (being unagitated by seasonal changes or inconvenient circumstances)
  6. īkṣādistinguishing between good and bad
  7. śamaḥcontrol of the mind (not allowing the mind to act whimsically)
  8. damaḥcontrol of the senses (not allowing the senses to act without control)
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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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 7.11

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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.11

    In this verse: “worship”, “devotional service”, “worshiping”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 7.11

    In this verse: “surrendering”, “shelter”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which of these qualities needs more attention in my daily devotional life?

Practice

Take a few quiet minutes today to chant the holy name of the Lord attentively.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Connected stories

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

The purport quotesSB 5.18.12

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 7.11's connections

Live this todayDevelop Good Qualities Through DevotionThis 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 7.11.8-12? Get an answer from the verses themselves.