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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

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.

Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›

Canto 8 · Chapter 3: Gajendra’s Prayers of Surrender

8.3.17 8.3.19

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.3.18

Mukti· Liberation

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:The King of the elephants, Gajendrasince 8.3.2inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

आत्मात्मजाप्तगृहवित्तजनेषु सक्तै-

र्दुष्प्रापणाय गुणसङ्गविवर्जिताय ।

मुक्तात्मभि: स्वहृदये परिभाविताय

ज्ञानात्मने भगवते नम ईश्वराय ॥ १८ ॥

ātmātma-jāpta-gṛha-vitta-janeṣu saktair

duṣprāpaṇāya guṇa-saṅga-vivarjitāya

muktātmabhiḥ sva-hṛdaye paribhāvitāya

jñānātmane bhagavate nama īśvarāya

Translation

My Lord, those who are completely freed from material contamination always meditate upon You within the cores of their hearts. You are extremely difficult to attain for those like me who are too attached to mental concoction, home, relatives, friends, money, servants and assistants. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, uncontaminated by the modes of nature. You are the reservoir of all enlightenment, the supreme controller. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Remember Kṛṣṇa With Faith and Love

1
Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears within the material world, He remains unaffected by the modes of material nature. His humanlike appearance does not make Him an ordinary person.
2
Those too attached to home, wealth, relatives and mental concoction find Him difficult to attain. Liberated souls constantly meditate upon Him within their hearts.
3
The greatest yogī always thinks of Kṛṣṇa with great faith and worships Him in transcendental loving service.

Key points from the purport

Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes into the material world, He is unaffected by the modes of material nature.
As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.11), avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: foolish men with insufficient knowledge deride the Personality of Godhead because He appears just like a human being.
Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be understood only by the muktātmā, the liberated soul.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 2

The purport of SB 8.3.18 quotesBG 9.11

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.11), avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: foolish men with insufficient knowledge deride the Personality of Godhead because He appears just like a human being.

The purport of SB 8.3.18 quotesBG 6.47

“Of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.”

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Helplessness → Surrender and rescue. A mighty animal finally realizes the limits of strength.

Chapters 1–4 of Canto 8: Gajendra's struggle and prayers. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 3: Gajendra’s Prayers of Surrender

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

This is extremely difficult for a nondevotee to understand. Although the transcendental Supreme Personality of Godhead is perceivable by everyone, only the pure devotees perceive His presence and activities.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 8.3

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

ātmathe mind and body
ātma-jasons and daughters
āptafriends and relatives
gṛhahome, community, society and nation
vittawealth
janeṣuto various servants and assistants
saktaiḥby those who are too attached
duṣprāpaṇāyaunto You, who are very difficult to achieve

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 8.3
In this verse: “attached”, “material”, “wealth”
Sakhya · Sacred friendship
The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 8.3
In this verse: “friends”
Śuddhi · Inner transformation
The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 8.3
In this verse: “contamination”

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which attachment most often draws my mind away from remembering Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Set aside one quiet minute to think of Kṛṣṇa and offer Him respectful obeisances.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRemember Kṛṣṇa With Faith and LoveThis 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 8.3.18? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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