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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 1 · Creation · 19 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 1 · Chapter 12: Birth of Emperor Parīkṣit
1.12.331.12.35

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.12.34

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The learned brāhmaṇassince 1.12.19inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

तेन सम्भृतसम्भारो धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिर: ।

वाजिमेधैस्त्रिभिर्भीतो यज्ञै: समयजद्धरिम् ॥ ३४ ॥

tena sambhṛta-sambhāro

dharma-putro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

vājimedhais tribhir bhīto

yajñaiḥ samayajad dharim

Translation

By those riches, the King could procure the ingredients for three horse sacrifices. Thus the pious King Yudhiṣṭhira, who was very fearful after the Battle of Kurukṣetra, pleased Lord Hari, the Personality of Godhead.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Goal of Sacrifice Is Pleasing Hari

  1. 1

    Yudhiṣṭhira took responsibility for the sins of warfare and used the collected wealth for three horse sacrifices. His purpose was to please Lord Hari, not to enlarge his treasury.

  2. 2

    Even ordinary duties can involve unintentional sins. The main purpose of scripturally recommended sacrifice is always the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  3. 3

    In Kali-yuga, the recommended sacrifice is glorifying the Lord by chanting Kṛṣṇa's holy name without offense. This requires no expenditure and can lead to the highest perfection of returning home, back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • Even Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira had to collect the necessary heaps of gold left by Mahārāja Marutta and the brāhmaṇas who were given gold in charity by King Marutta.
  • Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira also requisitioned the heaps of gold for performing sacrifices and for pleasing the Supreme, Hari, the Personality of Godhead.
  • If Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is a sinner in his daily discharge of duties in royal administration of state affairs, wherein killing of man and animals is a recognized art, then we can just imagine the amount of sins committed consciously or unconsciously by the untrained population of the Kali-yuga who have no way to perform sacrifice to please the Supreme Lord.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 1.12.34 quotesSB 1.2.13

The Bhāgavatam says, therefore, that the prime duty of the human being is to satisfy the Supreme Lord by the performance of one’s occupational duty.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Longing → Joy and continuity. Departure and welcome coexist; Parīkṣit embodies continuity of grace.

Chapters 10–12 of Canto 1: Kṛṣṇa returns to Dvārakā; Parīkṣit is born. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 12: Birth of Emperor Parīkṣit

Parīkṣit’s protection in the womb is recalled, and learned brāhmaṇas predict his qualities at birth.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.12
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tenawith that wealth
  2. sambhṛtacollected
  3. sambhāraḥingredients
  4. dharma-putraḥthe pious king
  5. yudhiṣṭhiraḥYudhiṣṭhira
  6. vājimedhaiḥby horse sacrifices
  7. tribhiḥthree times
  8. bhītaḥbeing greatly afraid after the Battle of Kurukṣetra
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Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 1.12

    In this verse: “chanting”, “glorifying”, “holy name”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 1.12

    In this verse: “fearful”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 1.12

    In this verse: “king”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I make pleasing the Supreme Lord the purpose of my daily work?

Practice

Take a few minutes today to chant Kṛṣṇa's holy name attentively, with the intention of pleasing Him.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 1.2.13

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 1.12's connections

Live this todayThe Goal of Sacrifice Is Pleasing HariThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 1.12.34? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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