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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

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.

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Canto 7 · Chapter 15: Instructions for Civilized Human Beings

7.15.50-51 7.15.53

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 7.15.52

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

निषेकादिश्मशानान्तै: संस्कारै: संस्कृतो द्विज: ।

इन्द्रियेषु क्रियायज्ञान् ज्ञानदीपेषु जुह्वति ॥ ५२ ॥

niṣekādi-śmaśānāntaiḥ

saṁskāraiḥ saṁskṛto dvijaḥ

indriyeṣu kriyā-yajñān

jñāna-dīpeṣu juhvati

Translation

A twice-born brāhmaṇa [dvija] gains his life by the grace of his parents through the process of purification known as garbhādhāna. There are also other processes of purification, until the end of life, when the funeral ceremony [antyeṣṭi-kriyā] is performed. Thus in due course a qualified brāhmaṇa becomes uninterested in materialistic activities and sacrifices, but he offers the sensual sacrifices, in full knowledge, into the working senses, which are illuminated by the fire of knowledge.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Worship the Supreme Person

1
Purificatory processes accompany a brāhmaṇa from the beginning of life to death. With perfect brahminical knowledge, one rejects material elevation and accepts nivṛtti-mārga.
2
Kṛṣṇa consciousness trains devotees to give up the path of material enjoyment and prepare to return to Godhead. This becomes easy when one seriously tries to understand Kṛṣṇa.
3
Neither rituals for material rewards nor mere speculation provide lasting safety from material existence. Only worship of the Supreme Person offers the safety of returning home, back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport

Now, in this verse, it is explained that one who has perfect brahminical knowledge rejects the process of elevation to higher planets and accepts nivṛtti-mārga; in other words, he prepares himself to go back home, back to Godhead.
Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore training devotees to give up the pravṛtti-mārga and accept the nivṛtti-mārga in order to return home, back to Godhead.
Only worship of the Supreme Person offers one the safety of going back home, back to 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.

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:

Of course, in performing ritualistic ceremonies and other fruitive activities there are also many dangers at every moment. Fruitive activities have been divided into twelve portions.

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

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

niṣeka-ādithe beginning of life (the purificatory process of garbhādhāna, performed when the father begets a child by discharging semen into the womb of the mother)
śmaśāna-antaiḥand at death, when the body is put into a crematorium and burnt to ashes
saṁskāraiḥby such purificatory processes
saṁskṛtaḥpurified
dvijaḥa twice-born brāhmaṇa
indriyeṣuinto the senses
kriyā-yajñānactivities and sacrifices (which elevate one to a higher planetary system)
jñāna-dīpeṣuby enlightenment in real knowledge
juhvatioffers

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
Jñāna · Spiritual insight
Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 7.15
In this verse: “knowledge”, “understand”
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.15
In this verse: “materialistic”, “material”
Śuddhi · Inner transformation
The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 7.15
In this verse: “purification”, “purificatory”

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

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Is my spiritual effort directed toward understanding and worshiping Kṛṣṇa, or toward material rewards?

Practice

Set aside a few minutes today to worship Kṛṣṇa without asking for a material benefit.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayWorship the Supreme PersonThis 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.

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