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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.
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Canto 9 · Chapter 19: King Yayāti Achieves Liberation
9.18.519.19.2

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.19.1

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 9.19.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीशुक उवाच

स इत्थमाचरन् कामान् स्त्रैणोऽपह्नवमात्मन: ।

बुद्ध्वा प्रियायै निर्विण्णो गाथामेतामगायत ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca

sa ittham ācaran kāmān

straiṇo ’pahnavam ātmanaḥ

buddhvā priyāyai nirviṇṇo

gāthām etām agāyata

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Yayāti was very much attached to woman. In due course of time, however, when disgusted with sexual enjoyment and its bad effects, he renounced this way of life and narrated the following story to his beloved wife.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Recognizing Enjoyment’s Harmful Effects

  1. 1

    Yayāti was very much attached to woman, but in time he became disgusted with sexual enjoyment and its bad effects.

  2. 2

    Recognizing these effects led him to renounce that way of life.

  3. 3

    He narrated a story to his beloved wife as he turned away from his former attachment.

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 19: King Yayāti Achieves Liberation

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

When satiated with material enjoyment, he devised a story of a he-goat and she-goat, corresponding to his own life, and narrated the story before his beloved Devayānī. The story is as follows.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.19
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-śukaḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
  2. saḥMahārāja Yayāti
  3. itthamin this way
  4. ācaranbehaving
  5. kāmānin regard to lusty desires
  6. straiṇaḥvery much attached to woman
  7. apahnavamcounteraction
  8. ātmanaḥof his own welfare
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

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 9.19

    In this verse: “renounced”, “renounce”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 9.19

    In this verse: “attached”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Have you noticed an enjoyment whose harmful effects outweigh its pleasure?

Practice

Write down one harmful effect of an attachment you would like to reduce.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRecognizing Enjoyment’s Harmful EffectsThis 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 9.19.1? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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