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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 · Texts 7.6.17-18

Who is speaking and story frame

यतो न कश्चित् क्व‍ च कुत्रचिद् वा

दीन: स्वमात्मानमलं समर्थ: ।

विमोचितुं कामद‍ृशां विहार-

क्रीडामृगो यन्निगडो विसर्ग: ॥ १७ ॥

ततो विदूरात् परिहृत्य दैत्या

दैत्येषु सङ्गं विषयात्मकेषु ।

उपेत नारायणमादिदेवं

स मुक्तसङ्गैरिषितोऽपवर्ग: ॥ १८ ॥

yato na kaścit kva ca kutracid vā

dīnaḥ svam ātmānam alaṁ samarthaḥ

vimocituṁ kāma-dṛśāṁ vihāra-

krīḍā-mṛgo yan-nigaḍo visargaḥ

tato vidūrāt parihṛtya daityā

daityeṣu saṅgaṁ viṣayātmakeṣu

upeta nārāyaṇam ādi-devaṁ

sa mukta-saṅgair iṣito ’pavargaḥ

Translation

My dear friends, O sons of the demons, it is certain that no one bereft of knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead has been able to liberate himself from material bondage at any time or in any country. Rather, those bereft of knowledge of the Lord are bound by the material laws. They are factually addicted to sense gratification, and their target is woman. Indeed, they are actually playthings in the hands of attractive women. Victimized by such a conception of life, they become surrounded by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and thus they are shackled to material bondage. Those who are very much addicted to this conception of life are called demons. Therefore, although you are sons of demons, keep aloof from such persons and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, the origin of all the demigods, because the ultimate goal for the devotees of Nārāyaṇa is liberation from the bondage of material existence.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Take Shelter and Seek Devotee Association

  1. 1

    Without knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, no one can become free from material bondage. Attachment to sense enjoyment keeps one bound by material laws.

  2. 2

    Even apparent education does not remove deep family attachment. Uncontrolled senses lead one to repeat the same material pleasures, described as chewing the chewed.

  3. 3

    Prahlāda Mahārāja advises leaving the association of those addicted to sense enjoyment and seeking the association of devotees. Taking shelter of Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, opens the way to liberation from material bondage.

Key points from the purport
  • Prahlāda Mahārāja has maintained the philosophical point of view that one should give up the dark well of family life and go to the forest to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta).
  • Thus they keep themselves shackled in family life, and furthermore they want their children to be shackled in the same way.
  • Thus one will be able to be liberated from material bondage.

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

Threat → Steady faith. A vulnerable child remains inwardly unshaken.

Chapters 5–7 of Canto 7: Prahlāda refuses to abandon his devotion. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 6: Prahlāda Instructs His Demoniac Schoolmates

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

When human beings are children, they should be taught that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the worshipable Deity for everyone. One should not be very much interested in material enjoyment; instead, one should be satisfied with whatever material profits are easily obtainable, and because the duration of one’s life is very short, one should utilize every moment for spiritual advancement.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.6
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yataḥbecause
  2. nanever
  3. kaścitanyone
  4. kvain any place
  5. caalso
  6. kutracitat any time
  7. vāor
  8. dīnaḥhaving a poor fund of knowledge
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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 7.6

    In this verse: “sense gratification”, “material”, “attachment”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.6

    In this verse: “devotees”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 7.6

    In this verse: “shelter”

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

Which associations encourage me to take shelter of the Lord rather than pursue sense enjoyment?

Practice

Spend a few minutes today speaking with a devotee about taking shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

2 lectures given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayTake Shelter and Seek Devotee AssociationThis 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 7.6.17-18? Get an answer from the verses themselves.