Canto 4: The Creation of the Fourth Order
SB4.30

Canto 4 · Chapter 30 · 51 verses · 1 story

The Activities of the Pracetās

The Lord appears to the Pracetās, who pray only for His satisfaction; Brahmā later pacifies them.

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Themes of SB 4.30Bhakti4Śuddhi4Kīrtana3Karuṇā3from its story phase
Connected storiesDakṣaDhruva MahārājaMahārāja PṛthuQueen Kuntī
Who is speakingSūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraEvery voice in this chapter ›
Turning points hereThe Pracetās· The fruits of austerity

What this chapter speaks about · the ten subjects

In this chapter

Who · The Pracetās, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Brahmā

The story · The Pracetās satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead by chanting Lord Śiva’s song, and the Lord appeared seated on Garuḍa. He promised blessings to those who offered these prayers and instructed the brothers to marry and create progeny according to their father’s order. The Pracetās declared that the Lord was their ultimate goal and asked only for His satisfaction. Later, when trees across the earth were being turned to ashes, Brahmā came and pacified the brothers.

What it teaches · The Pracetās’ prayer makes the Lord’s satisfaction their desired blessing. Discussion of transcendental subjects frees hearers from material hankering, envy, anxiety, and fear.

SB 4.30.10SB 4.30.30SB 4.30.35Read chapter 30 ›

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.

Dakṣa

SB 4.2–4 · Satī confronts Dakṣa’s envySB 4.5–7 · Dakṣa’s sacrifice is restoredSB 6.4 · Dakṣa’s prayers to the Lord

What it teaches · Lord Śiva explains that false ego produces envy of self-realized persons. Satī identifies envy of Lord Śiva, who is free from enmity, as a grave offense.

From the womb of this girl, the son of Lord Brahmā named Dakṣa took birth.

His previous body had been destroyed, but he, the same Dakṣa, inspired by the supreme will, created all the desired living entities in the Cākṣuṣa manvantara.

Read the story in SB 4.2–4

Dhruva Mahārāja

SB 4.8–9 · Dhruva Mahārāja’s determinationSB 4.10–12 · Dhruva gives up anger

What it teaches · Worship of the Lord’s lotus feet can fulfill one’s desires. Dhruva’s regret also shows the illusion of treating family members as enemies.

Although Dhruva Mahārāja was only a five-year-old boy, he underwent severe austerities by eating simply dry foliage, drinking only water and taking no food.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.30.4 (Text 4)

Dhruva Mahārāja practiced severe austerities and penances to see the Supreme Lord, and his intention was to receive benediction from the Lord.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.30.31 (Text 31)
Read the story in SB 4.8–9

Mahārāja Pṛthu

SB 4.15–18 · Pṛthu provides for his citizensSB 4.19–20 · Pṛthu’s sacrifice and prayersSB 4.21–23 · Pṛthu’s life of devoted service

What it teaches · Pṛthu’s example joins humility with practical care for others. A king should act like an affectionate father, providing for his citizens.

When King Pṛthu was celebrating various sacrifices, outdoing Indra, Indra became very envious, and he disturbed King Pṛthu’s sacrifice.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.30.13 (Text 13)

There were kings like Pṛthu Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Janaka, Dhruva, Vaivasvata Manu and Mahārāja Ikṣvāku.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.30.19 (Text 19)
Read the story in SB 4.15–18

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.

Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage.” One may act according to his own occupational duty just to satisfy the yajña-puruṣa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.30.16 (Text 16)

But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.” Thus there is no profit, even if one is promoted to the highest planet in the material universe, Brahmaloka.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.30.18 (Text 18)
Read the story in SB 1.8

Prahlāda Mahārāja

SB 7.5 · Prahlāda remains faithfulSB 7.6 · Prahlāda teaches his schoolmatesSB 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.

As stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt:

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.30.35 (Text 35)

He also made Dhruva Mahārāja and Prahlāda devotees.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.30.37 (Text 37)
Read the story in SB 7.5

The gopīs and the rāsa dance

SB 10.20–22 · The gopīs’ flute songs and vowSB 10.29–33 · The gopīs’ search and the rāsa danceSB 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.

He is always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds of thousands of lakṣmīs, or gopīs.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.30.3 (Text 3)

The gopīs also worshiped Lord Śiva in Vṛndāvana, and the lord is still staying there as Gopīśvara.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.30.38 (Text 38)
Read the story in SB 10.20–22

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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