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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 7.14.16

Who is speaking and story frame

यर्ह्यात्मनोऽधिकाराद्या: सर्वा: स्युर्यज्ञसम्पद: ।

वैतानिकेन विधिना अग्निहोत्रादिना यजेत् ॥ १६ ॥

yarhy ātmano ’dhikārādyāḥ

sarvāḥ syur yajña-sampadaḥ

vaitānikena vidhinā

agni-hotrādinā yajet

Translation

When one is enriched with wealth and knowledge which are under his full control and by means of which he can perform yajña or please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one must perform sacrifices, offering oblations to the fire according to the directions of the śāstras. In this way one should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Use Wealth and Knowledge to Please Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    A householder with sufficient wealth and Vedic knowledge should perform sacrifices according to the authorized scriptures. The results of occupational duties should be offered to satisfy the Supreme Lord.

  2. 2

    The entire Vedic civilization aims at satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this Age of Kali, this goal can be achieved through saṅkīrtana-yajña.

  3. 3

    Education and money are meant for service to the Lord through the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. When these valuable assets are not engaged in His service, they serve māyā instead.

Key points from the purport
  • If a gṛhastha, or householder, is sufficiently educated in Vedic knowledge and has become sufficiently rich to offer worship to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he must perform yajñas as directed by the authorized scriptures.
  • Therefore one who has education and wealth must use them to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by helping the saṅkīrtana movement that has already begun — the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
  • All educated and wealthy persons must join this movement, since money and education are meant for service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 2

The purport of SB 7.14.16 quotesBG 3.9

Bhagavad-gītā (3.9) clearly says, yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ: everyone may be engaged in his occupational duties, but the result of these duties should be offered for sacrifice to satisfy the Supreme Lord.

The purport of SB 7.14.16 quotesSB 12.3.52

It is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.3.52): The entire Vedic civilization aims at satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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 14: Ideal Family Life

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Whatever money a gṛhastha accumulates by the grace of God he should spend in five activities, namely worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, receiving Vaiṣṇavas and saintly persons, distributing prasāda to the general public and to all living entities, offering prasāda to his forefathers, and also offering prasāda to his own self. Gṛhasthas should always be ready to worship everyone as mentioned above.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.14
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yarhiwhen
  2. ātmanaḥof one’s self
  3. adhikāra-ādyāḥthings possessed by him under full control
  4. sarvāḥeverything
  5. syuḥbecomes
  6. yajña-sampadaḥparaphernalia for performing yajña, or the means for pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  7. vaitānikenawith authorized books that direct the performance of yajña
  8. vidhināaccording to regulative principles
  9. agni-hotra-ādināby offering sacrifices to the fire, etc.
  10. yajetone should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.14

    In this verse: “wealth”, “māyā”, “householder”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.14

    In this verse: “worship”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 7.14

    In this verse: “knowledge”

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 could I use my knowledge or resources for Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction?

Practice

Set aside a small amount of money or offer one skill to help the saṅkīrtana movement today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 12.3.52

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 7.14's connections

Live this todayUse Wealth and Knowledge to Please 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 7.14.16? Get an answer from the verses themselves.