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

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

How to study this verse, in six steps

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
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 15: Instructions for Civilized Human Beings

7.15.20 7.15.22

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.15.21

Ūti· What drives us to act

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Nārada Munisince 7.15.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitNārada Muni → Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira

पण्डिता बहवो राजन्बहुज्ञा: संशयच्छिद: ।

सदसस्पतयोऽप्येके असन्तोषात्पतन्त्यध: ॥ २१ ॥

paṇḍitā bahavo rājan

bahu-jñāḥ saṁśaya-cchidaḥ

sadasas patayo ’py eke

asantoṣāt patanty adhaḥ

Translation

O King Yudhiṣṭhira, many persons with varied experience, many legal advisers, many learned scholars and many persons eligible to become presidents of learned assemblies fall down into hellish life because of not being satisfied with their positions.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Contentment Protects Spiritual Advancement

1
Even learned and highly qualified people can fall into hellish life through dissatisfaction. Greed for material development frustrates spiritual advancement.
2
One should not be poverty-stricken, but should be satisfied with the bare necessities of life. Such contentment is the best advice for a devotee’s spiritual advancement.
3
Building temples is a spiritual activity when experienced devotees properly care for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The purpose must be to satisfy Kṛṣṇa.

Key points from the purport

Therefore the adjustment is that one should not be poverty-stricken, but one must try to be fully satisfied with the bare necessities of life and not be greedy.
For a devotee to be satisfied with the bare necessities is therefore the best advice for spiritual advancement.
Even if such endeavors are considered greedy, the greed is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, and therefore these are spiritual activities.

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

Chapter 15: Instructions for Civilized Human Beings

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

One who is not satisfied with the mind must fall to degradation. One must conquer lusty desires, anger, greed, fear, lamentation, illusion, fright, unnecessary talks on material subjects, violence, the four miseries of material existence, and the three material qualities.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 7.15

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

paṇḍitāḥvery learned scholars
bahavaḥmany
rājanO King (Yudhiṣṭhira)
bahu-jñāḥpersons with varied experience
saṁśaya-cchidaḥexpert in legal advice
sadasaḥ patayaḥpersons eligible to become presidents of learned assemblies
apieven
ekeby one disqualification

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
Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership
Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 7.15
In this verse: “king”
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.15
In this verse: “devotee’s”
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.15
In this verse: “material”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Where is wanting more weakening my satisfaction with what I need?

Practice

Set aside one unnecessary purchase today and practice being satisfied with what you already have.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayContentment Protects Spiritual AdvancementThis 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 7.15.21? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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