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

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Canto 9 · Liberation · 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 9 · Chapter 18: King Yayāti Regains His Youth
9.18.499.18.51

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.18.50

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 9.18.45inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तमेव हृदि विन्यस्य वासुदेवं गुहाशयम् ।

नारायणमणीयांसं निराशीरयजत् प्रभुम् ॥ ५० ॥

tam eva hṛdi vinyasya

vāsudevaṁ guhāśayam

nārāyaṇam aṇīyāṁsaṁ

nirāśīr ayajat prabhum

Translation

Without material desires, Mahārāja Yayāti worshiped the Supreme Lord, who is situated in everyone’s heart as Nārāyaṇa and is invisible to material eyes, although existing everywhere.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Desiring to Become the Lord's Eternal Servant

  1. 1

    Mahārāja Yayāti worshiped the Supreme Lord without material desires.

  2. 2

    The Lord is situated in everyone's heart as Nārāyaṇa. Although He exists everywhere, He is invisible to material eyes.

  3. 3

    Yayāti externally seemed very fond of material enjoyment, but internally he was thinking of becoming an eternal servant of the Lord.

Key points from the purport
  • King Yayāti, although externally seeming very fond of material enjoyment, was internally thinking of becoming an eternal servant of the Lord.

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

Insatiable desire → Renunciation. Exhausted enjoyment generates insight.

Chapters 18–19 of Canto 9: Yayāti's craving and liberation. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 18: King Yayāti Regains His Youth

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Śukrācārya again became angry and cursed Mahārāja Yayāti to become old, but when Yayāti begged Śukrācārya to be merciful to him, Śukrācārya gave him the benediction that he could transfer his old age and invalidity to some young man. Yayāti exchanged his old age for the youth of his youngest son, Pūru, and thus he was able to enjoy with young girls.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.18
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tam evaHim only
  2. hṛdiwithin the heart
  3. vinyasyaplacing
  4. vāsudevamLord Vāsudeva
  5. guha-āśayamwho exists in everyone’s heart
  6. nārāyaṇamwho is Nārāyaṇa, or an expansion of Nārāyaṇa
  7. aṇīyāṁsaminvisible to material eyes, although existing everywhere
  8. nirāśīḥYayāti, without any material desires
  9. ayajatworshiped
  10. prabhumthe Supreme Lord
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 9.18

    In this verse: “material”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 9.18

    In this verse: “worshiped”

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

Is becoming the Lord's servant the inward aim of my worship?

Practice

Offer a short prayer asking to serve the Lord rather than asking for material enjoyment.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDesiring to Become the Lord's Eternal ServantThis 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 9.18.50? Get an answer from the verses themselves.