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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 12: The Perfect Society: Four Spiritual Classes
7.12.17.12.3

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.12.2

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

सायं प्रातरुपासीत गुर्वग्‍न्यर्कसुरोत्तमान् ।

सन्ध्ये उभे च यतवाग्जपन्ब्रह्म समाहित: ॥ २ ॥

sāyaṁ prātar upāsīta

gurv-agny-arka-surottamān

sandhye ubhe ca yata-vāg

japan brahma samāhitaḥ

Translation

At both junctions of day and night, namely, in the early morning and in the evening, he should be fully absorbed in thoughts of the spiritual master, fire, the sun-god and Lord Viṣṇu and by chanting the Gāyatrī mantra he should worship them.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Make Morning and Evening Times for Worship

  1. 1

    The student should worship in the early morning and in the evening, at the two junctions of day and night.

  2. 2

    He should be fully absorbed in thoughts of the spiritual master, fire, the sun-god and Lord Viṣṇu.

  3. 3

    The prescribed worship includes chanting the Gāyatrī mantra with full attention.

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 12: The Perfect Society: Four Spiritual Classes

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

He should collect alms daily in the morning, and in the evening whatever alms he has collected he should offer to the spiritual master. A brahmacārī should accept prasāda upon the order of the spiritual master, and if the spiritual master sometimes forgets to order the disciple to eat, the disciple should not take prasāda on his own initiative; rather, he should fast.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.12
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sāyamin the evening
  2. prātaḥin the morning
  3. upāsītahe should worship
  4. guruthe spiritual master
  5. agnithe fire (by a fire sacrifice)
  6. arkathe sun
  7. sura-uttamānand Lord Viṣṇu, Puruṣottama, the best of personalities
  8. sandhyemorning and evening
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.12

    In this verse: “worship”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 7.12

    In this verse: “chanting”

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 much attention do I bring to my time of worship?

Practice

Set aside a quiet moment this evening to remember Lord Viṣṇu without distractions.

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 · quoted in 1 more lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 1 other lecture

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayMake Morning and Evening Times for WorshipThis 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 7.12.2? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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