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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 13: The Behavior of a Perfect Person
7.13.157.13.18

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 7.13.16-17

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
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

बिभर्षि कायं पीवानं सोद्यमो भोगवान्यथा ॥ १६ ॥

वित्तं चैवोद्यमवतां भोगो वित्तवतामिह ।

भोगिनां खलु देहोऽयं पीवा भवति नान्यथा ॥ १७ ॥

bibharṣi kāyaṁ pīvānaṁ

sodyamo bhogavān yathā

vittaṁ caivodyamavatāṁ

bhogo vittavatām iha

bhogināṁ khalu deho ’yaṁ

pīvā bhavati nānyathā

Translation

Seeing the saintly person to be quite fat, Prahlāda Mahārāja said: My dear sir, you undergo no endeavor to earn your livelihood, but you have a stout body, exactly like that of a materialistic enjoyer. I know that if one is very rich and has nothing to do, he becomes extremely fat by eating and sleeping and performing no work.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Guard Against Becoming a Sense Enjoyer

  1. 1

    Prahlāda Mahārāja was surprised that the saint had a stout body while making no endeavor to earn his livelihood.

  2. 2

    Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura became anxious when he saw his disciples becoming very fat, concerned that they were becoming bhogīs, or enjoyers of the senses.

  3. 3

    The purport describes how acquiring money can lead to increased sense enjoyment. Its concern is that a life of eating, sleeping and enjoyment does not support spiritual advancement.

Key points from the purport
  • Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura did not like his disciples to become very fat in the course of time.
  • This attitude is herewith confirmed by Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was surprised to see a saintly person adopting ājagara-vṛtti and becoming very fat.
  • Therefore in spiritual advancement becoming fat is not at all satisfactory.

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 13: The Behavior of a Perfect Person

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In this regard, Nārada Muni described a meeting between Prahlāda and a saintly person who had adopted the mode of life of a python. In this way he described the symptoms of a paramahaṁsa.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.13
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. bibharṣiyou are maintaining
  2. kāyama body
  3. pīvānamfat
  4. sa-udyamaḥone who endeavors
  5. bhogavānone who enjoys
  6. yathāas
  7. vittammoney
  8. caalso
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “materialistic”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.13

    In this verse: “bhaktisiddhānta”

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

Am I using greater comfort or resources mainly to increase sense enjoyment?

Practice

Today, set aside one unnecessary indulgence and use that time for spiritual study.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayGuard Against Becoming a Sense EnjoyerThis 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 7.13.16-17? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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