Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 19
Devas in Dvārakā, Brahmā’s Petition, and Uddhava’s Appeal
Prabhāsa Departure Set-Up
विभ्व्यस्तवामृतकथोदवहास्त्रिलोक्या: पादावनेजसरित: शमलानि हन्तुम् । आनुश्रवं श्रुतिभिरङ्घ्रिजमङ्गसङ्गै- स्तीर्थद्वयं शुचिषदस्त उपस्पृशन्ति ॥ १९ ॥
vibhvyas tavāmṛta-kathoda-vahās tri-lokyāḥ pādāvane-ja-saritaḥ śamalāni hantum ānuśravaṁ śrutibhir aṅghri-jam aṅga-saṅgais tīrtha-dvayaṁ śuci-ṣadas ta upaspṛśanti
The nectar-bearing rivers of discussions about You, and also the holy rivers generated from the bathing of Your lotus feet, are able to destroy all contamination within the three worlds. Those who are striving for purification associate with the holy narrations of Your glories by hearing them with their ears, and they associate with the holy rivers flowing from Your lotus feet by physically bathing in them.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura states, ānuśravaṁ guror uccāraṇam anuśrūyante: “One should hear about Kṛṣṇa by hearing from the spiritual master.” The bona fide spiritual master describes the pastimes, potencies and incarnations of the Personality of Godhead to his disciple. If the spiritual master is bona fide and if the disciple is sincere and obedient, then the communication between guru and disciple is just like nectar, both for the guru and the disciple. Ordinary persons cannot even imagine the special pleasure experienced by the devotees of the Lord. Such nectarean speaking and hearing destroys all contamination within the heart of a conditioned soul, the primary contamination being the desire to live without serving Kṛṣṇa.
FAQs
This verse explains that rivers arising from the washing of the Lord’s feet carry nectar-like Krishna-kathā and destroy sin across the three worlds, thus acting as powerful agents of purification.
He indicates two complementary purifiers: (1) sacred hearing rooted in Vedic testimony (śruti/ānuśrava), and (2) sanctity born from the Lord’s feet and realized through contact/association (aṅghri-jam and aṅga-saṅga), together cleansing the sincere seeker.
Regularly hear and study Krishna-kathā (śravaṇam) and seek genuine sādhus/devotee association (satsaṅga); these two purify consciousness and reduce sinful habits and mental impurity.