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Study a Verse

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

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

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How to study this verse, in six steps

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
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 12: The Perfect Society: Four Spiritual Classes

7.12.12 7.12.15

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 7.12.13-14

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Nārada Munisince 7.12.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

उषित्वैवं गुरुकुले द्विजोऽधीत्यावबुध्य च ।

त्रयीं साङ्गोपनिषदं यावदर्थं यथाबलम् ॥ १३ ॥

दत्त्वा वरमनुज्ञातो गुरो: कामं यदीश्वर: ।

गृहं वनं वा प्रविशेत्प्रव्रजेत्तत्र वा वसेत् ॥ १४ ॥

uṣitvaivaṁ gurukule

dvijo ’dhītyāvabudhya ca

trayīṁ sāṅgopaniṣadaṁ

yāvad-arthaṁ yathā-balam

dattvā varam anujñāto

guroḥ kāmaṁ yadīśvaraḥ

gṛhaṁ vanaṁ vā praviśet

pravrajet tatra vā vaset

Translation

According to the rules and regulations mentioned above, one who is twice-born, namely a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya, should reside in the gurukula under the care of the spiritual master. There he should study and learn all the Vedic literatures along with their supplements and the Upaniṣads, according to his ability and power to study. If possible, the student or disciple should reward the spiritual master with the remuneration the spiritual master requests, and then, following the master’s order, the disciple should leave and accept one of the other āśramas, namely the gṛhastha-āśrama, vānaprastha-āśrama or sannyāsa-āśrama, as he desires.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Study to Understand the Absolute Truth

1
A brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya should study and understand the Vedic literatures under the spiritual master’s care, according to personal ability. This includes their supplements and the Upaniṣads.
2
The purpose of gurukula is to understand Vedic knowledge, which leads to understanding the Absolute Truth—Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān. Technical training does not serve this same purpose.
3
If able, the disciple should give the remuneration requested by the spiritual master and enter another āśrama with his permission. Becoming a gṛhastha is not compulsory, because understanding the Absolute Truth is the ultimate aim.

Key points from the purport

To study the Vedas and understand them, of course, requires some special intelligence, but the members of the three higher sections of society — namely the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas — must learn the Vedic literatures according to their capability and power to understand.
In other words, studying the Vedic literatures is compulsory for everyone but the śūdras and antyajas.
In other words, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura did not think it compulsory to accept the gṛhastha-āśrama or vānaprastha-āśrama.

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

Chapter 12: The Perfect Society: Four Spiritual Classes

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

After completing one’s education as a brahmacārī in this way, one should give dakṣiṇā, an offering of gratitude, to one’s guru, and then one may leave for home and accept the next āśrama — the gṛhastha-āśrama — or else one may continue in the brahmacarya-āśrama without adulteration. The duties for the gṛhastha-āśrama and brahmacarya-āśrama, as well as the duties for sannyāsīs, are prescribed in the śāstras.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 7.12

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

uṣitvāresiding
evamin this way
gurukuleunder the care of the spiritual master
dvi-jaḥthe twice-born, namely the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas
adhītyastudying Vedic literature
avabudhyaunderstanding it properly
caand
trayīmthe Vedic literatures

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
Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct
Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 7.12
In this verse: “āśramas”, “āśrama”
Jñāna · Spiritual insight
Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 7.12
In this verse: “knowledge”, “absolute truth”, “understand”

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

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How much of my learning helps me understand the Absolute Truth?

Practice

Spend five minutes studying the supplied passage and write down one teaching you understand.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayStudy to Understand the Absolute TruthThis 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 7.12.13-14? Get an answer from the verses themselves.