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Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 37

The Lord in the Heart and the Discipline of Yoga-Bhakti

पिबन्ति ये भगवत आत्मन: सतां कथामृतं श्रवणपुटेषु सम्भृतम् । पुनन्ति ते विषयविदूषिताशयं व्रजन्ति तच्चरणसरोरुहान्तिकम् ॥ ३७ ॥

pibanti ye bhagavata ātmanaḥ satāṁ kathāmṛtaṁ śravaṇa-puṭeṣu sambhṛtam punanti te viṣaya-vidūṣitāśayaṁ vrajanti tac-caraṇa-saroruhāntikam

凡以耳根饮受主(Bhagavān)——圣主奎师那、圣者所爱——之甘露般圣言者,能净化被物欲享乐污染的心志,终将归至祂莲花足下,回到至上归宿。

pibantithey drink
pibanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√pā (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana (Plural); parasmaipada
yewho
ye:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; relative pronoun
bhagavataḥof the Lord
bhagavataḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootbhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive, 6th), Ekavacana
ātmanaḥof the Self
ātmanaḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive, 6th), Ekavacana
satāmof the saints
satām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootsat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive, 6th), Bahuvacana; “of the saintly”
kathā-amṛtamthe nectar of (his) stories
kathā-amṛtam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkathā (प्रातिपदिक) + amṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapūṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: “kathāyāḥ amṛtam” (nectar of discourse)
śravaṇa-puṭeṣuin the ear-cavities
śravaṇa-puṭeṣu:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootśravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + puṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga, Saptamī (Locative, 7th), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: “śravaṇasya puṭeṣu” (in the cavities of the ears)
sambhṛtamcollected/filled (there)
sambhṛtam:
Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootsam√bhṛ (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Napūṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with kathā-amṛtam
punantithey purify
punanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√pū (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana; parasmaipada
tethey
te:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; demonstrative pronoun
viṣaya-vidūṣita-āśayamthe mind polluted by sense-objects
viṣaya-vidūṣita-āśayam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣaya (प्रातिपदिक) + vidūṣita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + āśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa chain: “viṣayaiḥ vidūṣitaḥ āśayaḥ” (the heart/mind polluted by sense-objects)
vrajantithey go
vrajanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vraj (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana; parasmaipada
tat-caraṇa-saroruha-antikamnear his lotus feet
tat-caraṇa-saroruha-antikam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + saroruha (प्रातिपदिक) + antika (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapūṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: “tasya caraṇa-saroruhasya antikam” (near his lotus-feet)

The sufferings of human society are due to a polluted aim of life, namely lording it over the material resources. The more human society engages in the exploitation of undeveloped material resources for sense gratification, the more it will be entrapped by the illusory, material energy of the Lord, and thus the distress of the world will be intensified instead of diminished. The human necessities of life are fully supplied by the Lord in the shape of food grains, milk, fruit, wood, stone, sugar, silk, jewels, cotton, salt, water, vegetables, etc., in sufficient quantity to feed and care for the human race of the world as well as the living beings on each and every planet within the universe. The supply source is complete, and only a little energy by the human being is required to get his necessities into the proper channel. There is no need of machines and tools or huge steel plants for artificially creating comforts of life. Life is never made comfortable by artificial needs, but by plain living and high thinking. The highest perfectional thinking for human society is suggested here by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, namely, sufficiently hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. For men in this Age of Kali, when they have lost the perfect vision of life, this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the torchlight by which to see the real path. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhupāda has commented on the kathāmṛtam mentioned in this verse and has indicated Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to be the nectarean message of the Personality of Godhead. By sufficient hearing of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the polluted aim of life, namely lording it over matter, will subside, and the people in general in all parts of the world will be able to live a peaceful life of knowledge and bliss.

FAQs

This verse says that drinking the nectar of the Lord’s narrations through the ears purifies a heart polluted by sense-enjoyment and brings one to the shelter of His lotus feet.

In Canto 2, Śukadeva instructs Parīkṣit on the most effective spiritual practice for the final stage of life—absorbing the mind in the Lord by hearing His sacred narrations, which cleanse inner contamination and awaken devotion.

Set a daily habit of attentive listening—Bhagavatam recitation, lectures, or kīrtana—and reduce inputs that intensify sense cravings; consistent śravaṇam gradually purifies desires and strengthens God-centered living.