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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 5: The Demigods Appeal to the Lord for Protection
8.5.468.5.48

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 8.5.47

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Brahmāsince 8.5.26inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

क्लेशभूर्यल्पसाराणि कर्माणि विफलानि वा ।

देहिनां विषयार्तानां न तथैवार्पितं त्वयि ॥ ४७ ॥

kleśa-bhūry-alpa-sārāṇi

karmāṇi viphalāni vā

dehināṁ viṣayārtānāṁ

na tathaivārpitaṁ tvayi

Translation

Karmīs are always anxious to accumulate wealth for their sense gratification, but for that purpose they must work very hard. Yet even though they work hard, the results are not satisfying. Indeed, sometimes their work results only in frustration. But devotees who have dedicated their lives to the service of the Lord can achieve substantial results without working very hard. These results exceed the devotee’s expectations.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Dedicate Life and Soul to Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Karmīs work hard to gain wealth for sense gratification, but their gains are temporary and sometimes frustrating. Service dedicated to the Lord brings results beyond the devotee’s expectations.

  2. 2

    Śrīla Prabhupāda describes the growth of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement as providing immense opportunities to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  3. 3

    The movement recommends refraining from illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling, and intoxication. If devotees continue spreading it while dedicating life and soul to Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, no one can check its progress.

Key points from the purport
  • We can practically see how the devotees who have dedicated their lives for the service of the Lord in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are getting immense opportunities for the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without working very hard.
  • The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement actually started with only forty rupees, but now it has more than forty crores worth of property, and all this opulence has been achieved within eight or ten years.
  • The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not very popular with the karmīs because this movement recommends that one refrain from illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication.

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 5: The Demigods Appeal to the Lord for Protection

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

When the demigods were deprived of their heavenly kingdom, they went to the assembly house of Lord Brahmā and informed Lord Brahmā of what had happened. Then Brahmā, along with all the demigods, went to the shore of the Ocean of Milk and offered prayers to Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 8.5
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kleśahardship
  2. bhūrivery much
  3. alpavery little
  4. sārāṇigood result
  5. karmāṇiactivities
  6. viphalānifrustration
  7. vāeither
  8. dehināmof persons
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 8.5

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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 8.5

    In this verse: “devotees”, “devotee’s”

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

Are you seeking results mainly for sense gratification or for opportunities to serve Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Set aside one minute today to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa as service to the Lord.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDedicate Life and Soul to KṛṣṇaThis 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 8.5.47? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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