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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 15: Instructions for Civilized Human Beings
7.15.317.15.34

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 7.15.32-33

Mukti· Liberation
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

प्राणापानौ सन्निरुन्ध्यात्पूरकुम्भकरेचकै: ।

यावन्मनस्त्यजेत कामान्स्वनासाग्रनिरीक्षण: ॥ ३२ ॥

यतो यतो नि:सरति मन: कामहतं भ्रमत् ।

ततस्तत उपाहृत्य हृदि रुन्ध्याच्छनैर्बुध: ॥ ३३ ॥

prāṇāpānau sannirundhyāt

pūra-kumbhaka-recakaiḥ

yāvan manas tyajet kāmān

sva-nāsāgra-nirīkṣaṇaḥ

yato yato niḥsarati

manaḥ kāma-hataṁ bhramat

tatas tata upāhṛtya

hṛdi rundhyāc chanair budhaḥ

Translation

While continuously staring at the tip of the nose, a learned yogī practices the breathing exercises through the technical means known as pūraka, kumbhaka and recaka — controlling inhalation and exhalation and then stopping them both. In this way the yogī restricts his mind from material attachments and gives up all mental desires. As soon as the mind, being defeated by lusty desires, drifts toward feelings of sense gratification, the yogī should immediately bring it back and arrest it within the core of his heart.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Keep Kṛṣṇa Within Your Heart

  1. 1

    The yogī controls the breath and repeatedly brings the wandering mind back within the heart. The purpose is to restrict material attachments and desires for sense gratification.

  2. 2

    When yoga practice is perfected, one sees the Supersoul within the heart. This is Paramātmā, a feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  3. 3

    A devotee can become a first-class yogī by constantly keeping Kṛṣṇa within the heart. The highest yogī worships Him with great faith in transcendental loving service.

Key points from the purport
  • When this practice of yoga is perfect, one sees the Supersoul, the Paramātmā feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, within the core of one’s heart.
  • A devotee can immediately become a perfect yogī because he practices keeping Kṛṣṇa constantly within the core of his heart.
  • For an ordinary man in the bodily concept of life, the practice of yoga may be helpful, but one who immediately takes to devotional service can immediately become a perfect yogī without difficulty.

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 7.15.32-33 quotesBG 6.47

However, in Bhagavad-gītā (6.47) the Supreme Lord says: “Of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.”

The purport of SB 7.15.32-33 quotesBG 18.65

Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me.”

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 15: Instructions for Civilized Human Beings

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

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. That is the objective of human life.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.15
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. prāṇaincoming breath
  2. apānauoutgoing breath
  3. sannirundhyātshould stop
  4. pūra-kumbhaka-recakaiḥby inhaling, exhaling and holding, which are technically known as pūraka, kumbhaka and recaka
  5. yāvatso long
  6. manaḥthe mind
  7. tyajetshould give up
  8. kāmānall material desires
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.15

    In this verse: “attachments”, “lusty”, “sense gratification”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.15

    In this verse: “devotee”, “worships”

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 my mind wanders toward sense gratification, how can I bring my attention back to Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Pause once today to think of Kṛṣṇa and offer Him your homage.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayKeep Kṛṣṇa Within Your HeartThis 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 7.15.32-33? Get an answer from the verses themselves.