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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 16: How Parīkṣit Received the Age of Kali
1.16.91.16.11

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.16.10

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.16.10inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

सूत उवाच

यदा परीक्षित् कुरुजाङ्गलेऽवसत्

कलिं प्रविष्टं निजचक्रवर्तिते ।

निशम्य वार्तामनतिप्रियां तत:

शरासनं संयुगशौण्डिराददे ॥ १० ॥

sūta uvāca

yadā parīkṣit kuru-jāṅgale ’vasat

kaliṁ praviṣṭaṁ nija-cakravartite

niśamya vārtām anatipriyāṁ tataḥ

śarāsanaṁ saṁyuga-śauṇḍir ādade

Translation

Sūta Gosvāmī said: While Mahārāja Parīkṣit was residing in the capital of the Kuru empire, the symptoms of the Age of Kali began to infiltrate within the jurisdiction of his state. When he learned about this, he did not think the matter very palatable. This did, however, give him a chance to fight. He took up his bow and arrows and prepared himself for military activities.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Protect Others From the Causes of Quarrel

  1. 1

    The Age of Kali means the age of quarrel. Illicit connection with women, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling are described as root causes of quarrel.

  2. 2

    Mahārāja Parīkṣit wanted to act immediately when these symptoms appeared. His duty as king was to protect innocent citizens who were pure in habit through religious culture.

  3. 3

    The certainty that Kali’s symptoms will appear is no reason to remain inactive. Just as people take shelter from predictable rain, the state must protect its citizens from harmful influences.

Key points from the purport
  • Mahārāja Parīkṣit heard that some of the people of the state had already taken to those symptoms, and he wanted to take immediate steps against such causes of unrest.
  • The news was not palatable for him, but in a way it was, because Mahārāja Parīkṣit got a chance to fight.
  • Mahārāja Parīkṣit wanted to punish the miscreants indulging in the symptoms of Kali, and thus save the innocent citizens who were pure in habit by culture of religion.

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

Moral alarm → Resolve. The king's duty is tested in a deteriorating age.

Chapters 16–17 of Canto 1: Parīkṣit confronts Kali. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 16: How Parīkṣit Received the Age of Kali

Parīkṣit rules as a devotee while the personality of religion and mother earth discuss their distress.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.16
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sūtaḥ uvācaSūta Gosvāmī said
  2. yadāwhen
  3. parīkṣitMahārāja Parīkṣit
  4. kuru-jāṅgalein the capital of Kuru’s empire
  5. avasatwas residing
  6. kalimthe symptoms of the Age of Kali
  7. praviṣṭamentered
  8. nija-cakravartitewithin his jurisdiction
3

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

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 1.16

    In this verse: “religious”, “duty”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 1.16

    In this verse: “king”, “citizens”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 1.16

    In this verse: “protect”

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

Do I treat harmful habits as unavoidable, or take steps to guard against them?

Practice

Choose one of the four causes of quarrel listed here and take one concrete step today to avoid its influence.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

1 lecture given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayProtect Others From the Causes of QuarrelThis 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.

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