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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 8 · Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations · 24 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 8 · Chapter 12: The Mohinī-mūrti Incarnation Bewilders Lord Śiva
8.12.58.12.7

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.12.6

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Mahādevasince 8.12.4inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तवैव चरणाम्भोजं श्रेयस्कामा निराशिष: ।

विसृज्योभयत: सङ्गं मुनय: समुपासते ॥ ६ ॥

tavaiva caraṇāmbhojaṁ

śreyas-kāmā nirāśiṣaḥ

visṛjyobhayataḥ saṅgaṁ

munayaḥ samupāsate

Translation

Pure devotees or great saintly persons who desire to achieve the highest goal in life and who are completely free from all material desires for sense gratification engage constantly in the transcendental service of Your lotus feet.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Pure Devotees Seek Only the Lord’s Service

  1. 1

    Material life rests on the thoughts “I am this body” and “everything related to my body is mine.” Saintly devotees give up this attachment and serve the Lord without personal desires for sense gratification.

  2. 2

    In this life or the next, a pure devotee’s only concern is serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Material gain and sense gratification are not the goal.

  3. 3

    Real liberation means taking shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet, not becoming one with Him. The pure devotee is interested only in loving service to the Lord.

Key points from the purport
  • But those who are munayaḥ, saintly persons following in the footsteps of Nārada Muni, simply engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord without any personal desire for sense gratification.
  • Either in this life or in the next, the only concern of such saintly devotees is to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained that real mokṣa means taking shelter of the lotus feet of the Personality of 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

Danger and ambition → Divine rescue and surprise. Cooperation, rivalry and revelation alternate rapidly.

Chapters 5–12 of Canto 8: Churning the ocean, poison and nectar. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 12: The Mohinī-mūrti Incarnation Bewilders Lord Śiva

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Accompanied by his wife, Umā, and his servants, the bhūta-gaṇa, or ghosts, he approached the lotus feet of the Lord. Lord Śiva offered obeisances to the Supreme Lord as the all-pervading Lord, the universal form, the supreme controller of creation, the Supersoul, the resting place for everyone, and the completely independent cause of all causes.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.12
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tavaYour
  2. evaindeed
  3. caraṇa-ambhojamlotus feet
  4. śreyaḥ-kāmāḥpersons desiring the ultimate auspiciousness, the ultimate goal of life
  5. nirāśiṣaḥwithout material desire
  6. visṛjyagiving up
  7. ubhayataḥin this life and the next
  8. saṅgamattachment
  9. munayaḥgreat sages
  10. samupāsateworship
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 8.12

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

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 8.12

    In this verse: “free from”, “give up”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 8.12

    In this verse: “devotees”

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

Where do expectations of personal gain enter your desire to serve the Lord?

Practice

Offer a brief prayer today asking only for shelter at the Lord’s lotus feet and the opportunity to serve Him.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayPure Devotees Seek Only the Lord’s 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 8.12.6? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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