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

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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 15: The Pāṇḍavas Retire Timely
1.15.91.15.11

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.15.10

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Arjunasince 1.15.5inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

पत्‍न्‍यास्तवाधिमखक्लृप्तमहाभिषेक-

श्लाघिष्ठचारुकबरं कितवै: सभायाम् ।

स्पृष्टं विकीर्य पदयो: पतिताश्रुमुख्या

यस्तत्स्त्रियोऽकृतहतेशविमुक्तकेशा: ॥ १० ॥

patnyās tavādhimakha-kḷpta-mahābhiṣeka-

ślāghiṣṭha-cāru-kabaraṁ kitavaiḥ sabhāyām

spṛṣṭaṁ vikīrya padayoḥ patitāśru-mukhyā

yas tat-striyo ’kṛta-hateśa-vimukta-keśāḥ

Translation

It was He only who loosened the hair of all the wives of the miscreants who dared open the cluster of your Queen’s hair, which had been nicely dressed and sanctified for the great Rājasūya sacrificial ceremony. At that time she fell down at the feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa with tears in her eyes.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Never Insult the Lord’s Devotees

  1. 1

    Duḥśāsana insulted Draupadī by touching her sanctified hair. She fell at Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet with tears in her eyes.

  2. 2

    The purport connects this insult with the Kuru wives becoming widows after the Battle of Kurukṣetra. Their loosened hair marked the loss of their husbands.

  3. 3

    The Lord may tolerate insults to Himself, as a father tolerates insults from a son, but He never tolerates insults to His devotees. Insulting a great soul causes one to lose the results of pious acts and benedictions.

Key points from the purport
  • Draupadī then fell down at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Lord Kṛṣṇa decided that all the wives of Duḥśāsana and company should have their hair loosened as a result of the Battle of Kurukṣetra.
  • Thus after the Battle of Kurukṣetra, after all the sons and grandsons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra died in battle, all the wives of the family were obliged to loosen their hair as widows.
  • In other words, all the wives of the Kuru family became widows because of Duḥśāsana’s insulting a great devotee of the 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.

How it feels

Bereavement → Renunciation. The worldly support system recedes and attachment is exposed.

Chapters 13–15 of Canto 1: Dhṛtarāṣṭra departs; Kṛṣṇa disappears; Pāṇḍavas retire. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 15: The Pāṇḍavas Retire Timely

Arjuna grieves over Kṛṣṇa’s departure, and the Pāṇḍavas retire, fixing their minds on His lotus feet.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.15
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. patnyāḥof the wife
  2. tavayour
  3. adhimakhaduring the great sacrificial ceremony
  4. kḷptadressed
  5. mahā-abhiṣekagreatly sanctified
  6. ślāghiṣṭhathus glorified
  7. cārubeautiful
  8. kabaramclustered hair
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 1.15

    In this verse: “devotees”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 1.15

    In this verse: “father”

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 you show greater care and respect when speaking about the Lord’s devotees?

Practice

Before speaking about a devotee today, pause and remove any insulting words from what you intend to say.

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.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 1.15's connections

Live this todayNever Insult the Lord’s DevoteesThis 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 1.15.10? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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