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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 7.9.40

Who is speaking and story frame

जिह्वैकतोऽच्युत विकर्षति मावितृप्ता

शिश्नोऽन्यतस्त्वगुदरं श्रवणं कुतश्चित् ।

घ्राणोऽन्यतश्चपलद‍ृक् क्व‍ च कर्मशक्ति-

र्बह्व्य: सपत्‍न्य इव गेहपतिं लुनन्ति ॥ ४० ॥

jihvaikato ’cyuta vikarṣati māvitṛptā

śiśno ’nyatas tvag-udaraṁ śravaṇaṁ kutaścit

ghrāṇo ’nyataś capala-dṛk kva ca karma-śaktir

bahvyaḥ sapatnya iva geha-patiṁ lunanti

Translation

My dear Lord, O infallible one, my position is like that of a person who has many wives, all trying to attract him in their own way. For example, the tongue is attracted to palatable dishes, the genitals to sex with an attractive woman, and the sense of touch to contact with soft things. The belly, although filled, still wants to eat more, and the ear, not attempting to hear about You, is generally attracted to cinema songs. The sense of smell is attracted to yet another side, the restless eyes are attracted to scenes of sense gratification, and the active senses are attracted elsewhere. In this way I am certainly embarrassed.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Purify the Senses Through Devotional Service

  1. 1

    The senses pull us in different directions, each seeking its own satisfaction. These material attractions disturb the purpose of human life: God realization.

  2. 2

    Devotional service means purifying the senses. Restraining their activities, especially those of the greedy tongue, is necessary for advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

  3. 3

    God realization begins with hearing and chanting the Lord’s holy name. The purport identifies this hearing and chanting as the only method of controlling the senses.

Key points from the purport
  • The human form of life is meant for God realization, but this process, which begins with śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ — hearing and chanting of the holy name of the Lord — is disturbed as long as our senses are materially attracted.
  • In the conditioned state our senses are covered by material sense gratification, and as long as one is not trained in purifying the senses, one cannot become a devotee.
  • The only method of controlling the senses is to chant and hear the holy name of the Lord; otherwise, one will always be disturbed, as a householder with more than one wife would be disturbed by them for sense gratification.

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

Terror and divine fury → Protection and compassion. The crisis resolves through relationship rather than domination.

Chapters 8–10 of Canto 7: Nṛsiṁhadeva appears; Prahlāda pacifies Him. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 9: Prahlāda Pacifies Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva with Prayers

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

To be attracted by sense gratification is simply foolish. Whether one is a devotee of the Lord or is a nondevotee does not depend upon one’s birth in a high or low family.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.9
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. jihvāthe tongue
  2. ekataḥto one side
  3. acyutaO my infallible Lord
  4. vikarṣatiattracts
  5. māme
  6. avitṛptānot being satisfied
  7. śiśnaḥthe genitals
  8. anyataḥto another side
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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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 7.9

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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”, “holy name”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.9

    In this verse: “devotional service”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which sense most often pulls my attention away from devotional service?

Practice

Replace a few minutes of entertainment listening today with hearing and chanting the Lord’s holy name.

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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.

1 lecture given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayPurify the Senses Through Devotional ServiceThis 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 7.9.40? Get an answer from the verses themselves.