The robust field-insensitive heavy fermion features in Sm$_3$Ru$_4$Ge$_{13}$ and the magnetic phase transition at $T_N approx$ 5~K are studied using magnetization $M(T)$, specific heat $C_p(T)$, resistivity $rho(T)$ and thermal conductivity $kappa_T(T)$. The average crystal structure of Sm$_3$Ru$_4$Ge$_{13}$ conforms to the cubic space group $Pmbar{3}n$ however, signatures of subtle structural distortions are obtained from the x ray data. The magnetic susceptibility, $chi(T)$, follows a modified Curie-Weiss law indicating the presence of crystal fields of Sm$^{3+}$ and the significance of van Vleck terms. No sign of ferromagnetism is observed in $M(H)$ of Sm$_3$Ru$_4$Ge$_{13}$ which yields only 0.025~$mu_mathrm{B}$/f.u.-Sm at 2~K, 7~T. The Sommerfeld coefficient, $gamma approx$ 220~mJ/mol-Sm K$^2$, estimated from the analysis of low temperature specific heat suggests the formation of heavy quasi particles at low temperature. Though a ln$T$ dependence of $rho(T)$ is observed till 60~K, the resistivity behavior is accounted for by assuming a two-band model for activated behavior of charge carriers. The field scans of resistivity, $rho(H)$, below $T_N$ display significant nonlinearity while those above the $T_N$ are more metal-like. Low values of thermal conductivity, $kappa_T(T)$, are observed in Sm$_3$Ru$_4$Ge$_{13}$ however, displaying an anomaly at $T_N$ which signifies magnetoelastic coupling. A fairly high value of Seebeck coefficient, $S approx$ 40~$mu$V/K is observed at 300~K. We identify Sm$_3$Ru$_4$Ge$_{13}$ as a low charge carrier density system with unusual field-insensitive heavy fermion features very similar to the filled skutterudites.
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