1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

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

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 7 · The Science of God · 15 chapters

123456789101112131415

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 13: The Behavior of a Perfect Person
7.12.317.13.2

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.13.1

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 7.13.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

श्रीनारद उवाच

कल्पस्त्वेवं परिव्रज्य देहमात्रावशेषित: ।

ग्रामैकरात्रविधिना निरपेक्षश्चरेन्महीम् ॥ १ ॥

śrī-nārada uvāca

kalpas tv evaṁ parivrajya

deha-mātrāvaśeṣitaḥ

grāmaika-rātra-vidhinā

nirapekṣaś caren mahīm

Translation

Śrī Nārada Muni said: A person able to cultivate spiritual knowledge should renounce all material connections, and merely keeping the body inhabitable, he should travel from one place to another, passing only one night in each village. In this way, without dependence in regard to the needs of the body, the sannyāsī should travel all over the world.

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.

Live Simply to Cultivate Spiritual Knowledge

  1. 1

    A person able to cultivate spiritual knowledge should renounce material connections, keeping only what is needed to maintain the body.

  2. 2

    The sannyāsī should travel from place to place, passing only one night in each village.

  3. 3

    In this way, he should travel throughout the world without material dependence for bodily needs.

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 13: The Behavior of a Perfect Person

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

It concludes with a description of perfection for the student in spiritual advancement. Śrī Nārada Muni has been describing the symptoms of various āśramas and varṇas.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.13
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-nāradaḥ uvācaŚrī Nārada Muni said
  2. kalpaḥa person who is competent to undergo the austerities of sannyāsa, the renounced order of life, or to prosecute studies in transcendental knowledge
  3. tubut
  4. evamin this way (as described previously)
  5. parivrajyafully understanding his spiritual identity and thus traveling from one place to another
  6. deha-mātrakeeping only the body
  7. avaśeṣitaḥat last
  8. grāmain a village
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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 7.13

    In this verse: “knowledge”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.13

    In this verse: “material”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 7.13

    In this verse: “renounce”

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

Which material attachment draws my attention away from spiritual knowledge?

Practice

Set aside one unnecessary material comfort today and spend a few minutes studying spiritual knowledge.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLive Simply to Cultivate Spiritual KnowledgeThis 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 7.13.1? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories