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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 · Text 7.13.28

Who is speaking and story frame

इत्येतदात्मन: स्वार्थं सन्तं विस्मृत्य वै पुमान् ।

विचित्रामसति द्वैते घोरामाप्नोति संसृतिम् ॥ २८ ॥

ity etad ātmanaḥ svārthaṁ

santaṁ vismṛtya vai pumān

vicitrām asati dvaite

ghorām āpnoti saṁsṛtim

Translation

In this way the conditioned soul living within the body forgets his self-interest because he identifies himself with the body. Because the body is material, his natural tendency is to be attracted by the varieties of the material world. Thus the living entity suffers the miseries of material existence.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Remember Your Eternal Relationship With Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa is always happy, and the living entities, His parts and parcels, are also happy by nature. Each has an affectionate, eternal relationship with Him.

  2. 2

    Identifying the body as the self makes us forget our true identity and spiritual self-interest. We then become attracted to the varieties of the material world.

  3. 3

    This bodily misconception exposes us to the troubles of birth, death, old age and disease. It continues until we understand our relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

Key points from the purport
  • Everyone is trying to be happy because, as explained in the previous verse, sukham asyātmano rūpaṁ sarvehoparatis tanuḥ: when the living entity is in his original spiritual form, he is happy by nature.
  • As Kṛṣṇa is always happy, the living entities, who are His parts and parcels, are also happy by nature, but because of being put within this material world and forgetting their eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa, they have forgotten their real nature.
  • Because every one of us is a part of Kṛṣṇa, we have a very affectionate relationship with Him, but because we have forgotten our identities and are considering the body to be the self, we are afflicted by all the troubles of birth, death, old age and disease.

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:

One should be a friend to every living entity and be very peaceful in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A sannyāsī should travel alone in this way, not caring for life or death, waiting for the time when he will leave his material body.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.13
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. itiin this way
  2. etata person materially conditioned
  3. ātmanaḥof his self
  4. sva-arthamown interest
  5. santamexisting within oneself
  6. vismṛtyaforgetting
  7. vaiindeed
  8. pumānthe living entity
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “material”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “understand”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 7.13

    In this verse: “death”

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

When do I most easily forget that I am a spiritual being related to Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Pause once today and reflect: “I am not this body; I am a part of Kṛṣṇa and have an eternal relationship with Him.”

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRemember Your Eternal Relationship With KṛṣṇaThis 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 7.13.28? Get an answer from the verses themselves.