Chanting the Song Sung by Lord Śiva

Lord Śiva mercifully teaches the Pracetās prayers glorifying the Supreme Lord.

Themes of SB 4.24Moha5 Vairāgya5 Jñāna4 Bhakti3 from its story phase

Connected storiesQueen KuntīLord Kapila and DevahūtiBhṛgu MuniThe gopīs and the rāsa dance

Who is speakingSūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraLord Śiva → the PracetāsEvery voice in this chapter ›

Turning points hereThe Pracetās· Receiving Śiva’s prayers

What this chapter speaks about · the ten subjects

In this chapter

Who · Lord Śiva, the Pracetās

The story · The Pracetās met Lord Śiva and stood before him with folded hands. Lord Śiva, a great devotee of Lord Nārāyaṇa, mercifully taught them prayers glorifying the Supreme Lord. These prayers describe the Lord’s beautiful form, His presence within living beings, and the value of association with a devotee. The princes worshiped Lord Śiva with devotion and respect, and he then became invisible to them.

What it teaches · Even a moment’s association with a devotee can free one from attraction to the results of fruitive work and speculative knowledge.

SB 4.24.32 SB 4.24.57 SB 4.25.1 Read chapter 24 ›

Beyond this chapter

Connected stories across the Bhāgavatam

Stories told in other chapters that this chapter's verses or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purports bring in, the other Bhāgavatam verses the purports quote, and stories in other cantos with the same themes. Each link shows the sentence it comes from.

Queen Kuntī

SB 1.8 · Kuntī’s prayer for undivided devotion

What it teaches · Kuntī’s prayer expresses dependence on Kṛṣṇa and the desire for uninterrupted devotion. The Lord remains unborn and transcendental even while protecting His devotees within this world.

In this regard, one may refer to the prayers of Kuntī in the First Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.8.20):
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.24.33 (Text 33)

“This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings.” ( Bg.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.24.40 (Text 40)

Read the story in SB 1.8

Lord Kapila and Devahūti

SB 3.24 · Kapila appears and Kardama renounces SB 3.25–29 · Kapila teaches His mother SB 3.30–32 · Kapila describes the soul’s wandering

What it teaches · The Lord appears to support His devotees. True renunciation means surrendering one’s activities to Him and seeking Him through unfailing devotional service.

The sāṅkhya-yoga system popular at the present moment was propounded by the atheist Kapila, but the original sāṅkhya-yoga system was propounded by an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa also named Kapila, the son of Devahūti.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.24.42 (Text 42)

Lord Kapila and Śukadeva Gosvāmī are also called muni, and Vyāsadeva is addressed as Mahāmuni.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.24.59 (Text 59)

Read the story in SB 3.24

Bhṛgu Muni

SB 10.89 · Bhṛgu’s test and the brāhmaṇa’s sons SB 4.13–14 · King Vena rejects good counsel

What it teaches · The chapter identifies tolerance as a sure sign of greatness and establishes Lord Viṣṇu’s supremacy. Arjuna’s unsuccessful search also shows the limits of even an extraordinary warrior’s independent power.

The creators, headed by Bhṛgu, were instructed in these prayers because they wanted to create.
In the verse · SB 4.24.72 (Text 72)

…then Lord Brahmā created Lord Śiva and other great sages, headed by Bhṛgu Muni.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.24.72 (Text 72)

Read the story in SB 10.89

The gopīs and the rāsa dance

SB 10.20–22 · The gopīs’ flute songs and vow SB 10.29–33 · The gopīs’ search and the rāsa dance SB 10.46–47 · Uddhava witnesses Vraja’s love

What it teaches · Kṛṣṇa explains that desires fixed upon Him do not produce ordinary material desire for sense gratification. The gopīs’ attention is centered upon Him.

The gopīs used to worship not only Lord Śiva but Kātyāyanī, or Durgā, as well, but their aim was to attain the favor of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.24.30 (Text 30)

Although the Lord is one in His various forms ( advaitam acyutam anādim ), still His form as the young enjoyer of the gopīs and companion of the cowherd boys ( kiśora-mūrti ) is the most perfect form.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.24.44 (Text 44)

Read the story in SB 10.20–22

Vṛkāsura

SB 10.88 · The Lord saves Śiva from Vṛkāsura

What it teaches · Material benedictions are not the same as the highest good. The chapter explains that Lord Hari’s mercy leads His devotees beyond the modes of nature, even when that mercy involves losing wealth.

For instance, Vṛkāsura took a benediction from Lord Śiva by which he could kill everyone he touched on the head.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.24.24-25 (Texts 24-25)

Read the story in SB 10.88

Prahlāda Mahārāja

SB 7.5 · Prahlāda remains faithful SB 7.6 · Prahlāda teaches his schoolmates SB 7.7 · Prahlāda hears within the womb

What it teaches · Prahlāda’s devotion does not depend on his teachers’ approval or his father’s favor. His spiritual understanding makes him equal toward everyone.

This is also confirmed by Prahlāda Mahārāja.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.24.76 (Text 76)

These authorities are Svayambhū, Nārada, Śambhu, Kumāra, Kapila, Manu, Prahlāda, Janaka, Bhīṣma, Bali, Vaiyāsaki, or Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and Yamarāja.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.24.51 (Text 51)

Read the story in SB 7.5

Other Bhāgavatam verses Śrīla Prabhupāda quotes here

Same themes in another canto

Both chapters carry these themes strongly in the themes map, an editorial reading of each chapter's story.

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