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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 19: Lord Vāmanadeva Begs Charity from Bali Mahārāja
8.19.398.19.41

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.19.40

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukrācāryasince 8.19.30inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तद् यथा वृक्ष उन्मूल: शुष्यत्युद्वर्ततेऽचिरात् ।

एवं नष्टानृत: सद्य आत्मा शुष्येन्न संशय: ॥ ४० ॥

tad yathā vṛkṣa unmūlaḥ

śuṣyaty udvartate ’cirāt

evaṁ naṣṭānṛtaḥ sadya

ātmā śuṣyen na saṁśayaḥ

Translation

When a tree is uprooted it immediately falls down and begins to dry up. Similarly, if one doesn’t take care of the body, which is supposed to be untruth — in other words, if the untruth is uprooted — the body undoubtedly becomes dry.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Care for the Body Engaged in Service

  1. 1

    Rejecting things without understanding their relationship to Kṛṣṇa is incomplete renunciation. A body fully engaged in His service should not be neglected as material.

  2. 2

    An uncared-for body falls and dries up like an uprooted tree, which can no longer produce flowers and fruit. Proper maintenance and protection are therefore necessary.

  3. 3

    Activities performed to satisfy the Absolute Truth are everlasting, even when performed through a temporary body. Caring for the body supports this service.

Key points from the purport
  • If the body is not properly maintained, it falls down and dries up like an uprooted tree, from which flowers and fruit can no longer be obtained.
  • Therefore, the body should be properly cared for.
  • All precautions should be taken to protect the body.

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

Public loss and humiliation → Total surrender. An apparent external defeat conceals a devotional triumph.

Chapters 19–23 of Canto 8: Vāmana tests Bali; Bali offers everything. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 19: Lord Vāmanadeva Begs Charity from Bali Mahārāja

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

He explained that in subduing others, in joking, in responding to danger, in acting for the welfare of others, and so on, one could refuse to fulfill one’s promise, and there would be no fault. By this philosophy, Śukrācārya tried to dissuade Bali Mahārāja from giving land to Lord Vāmanadeva.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.19
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tattherefore
  2. yathāas
  3. vṛkṣaḥa tree
  4. unmūlaḥbeing uprooted
  5. śuṣyatidries up
  6. udvartatefalls down
  7. acirātvery soon
  8. evamin this way
3

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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 8.19

    In this verse: “absolute truth”, “understanding”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 8.19

    In this verse: “material”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 8.19

    In this verse: “protection”

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

How can I better protect and maintain my body for Kṛṣṇa's service?

Practice

Attend to one neglected bodily need today, such as a proper meal or adequate rest, with the intention of supporting your service to Kṛṣṇa.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayCare for the Body Engaged in 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 8.19.40? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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