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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.
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Canto 1 · Chapter 16: How Parīkṣit Received the Age of Kali
1.16.341.16.36

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.16.35

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.16.10inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

का वा सहेत विरहं

पुरुषोत्तमस्य प्रेमावलोकरुचिरस्मितवल्गुजल्पै: ।

स्थैर्यं समानमहरन्मधुमानिनीनां

रोमोत्सवो मम यदङ्‌घ्रिविटङ्किताया: ॥ ३५ ॥

kā vā saheta virahaṁ puruṣottamasya

premāvaloka-rucira-smita-valgu-jalpaiḥ

sthairyaṁ samānam aharan madhu-māninīnāṁ

romotsavo mama yad-aṅghri-viṭaṅkitāyāḥ

Translation

Who, therefore, can tolerate the pangs of separation from that Supreme Personality of Godhead? He could conquer the gravity and passionate wrath of His sweethearts like Satyabhāmā by His sweet smile of love, pleasing glance and hearty appeals. When He traversed my [earth’s] surface, I would be immersed in the dust of His lotus feet and thus would be sumptuously covered with grass which appeared like hairs standing on me out of pleasure.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Earth’s Deep Separation From the Lord

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead could overcome His sweethearts’ gravity and passionate anger through His loving smile, pleasing glance and hearty appeals.

  2. 2

    As the Lord walked upon the earth, she felt the touch of His lotus feet. Her abundant grass appeared like hairs standing on end in pleasure.

  3. 3

    The queens could experience separation when the Lord was away from home, but the earth remained in contact with His footsteps. Her separation became especially acute when He returned to His spiritual abode.

Key points from the purport
  • There were chances of separation between the Lord and His thousands of queens because of the Lord’s being absent from home, but as far as His connection with earth was concerned, the Lord would traverse the earth with His lotus feet, and therefore there was no chance of separation.
  • When the Lord left the surface of the earth to return to His spiritual abode, the earth’s feelings of separation were therefore more acute.

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
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kāwho
  2. vāeither
  3. sahetacan tolerate
  4. virahamseparation
  5. puruṣa-uttamasyaof the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  6. premaloving
  7. avalokaglancing
  8. rucira-smitapleasing smile
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Prema · Transcendental love

    The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 1.16

    In this verse: “love”, “sweethearts”, “sweethearts’”

  • Viraha · Longing in separation

    Love and remembrance experienced in apparent absence. · Theme in SB 1.16

    In this verse: “separation”

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

What does the earth’s sorrow reveal about how deeply she treasured the Lord’s presence?

Practice

Spend a minute remembering the Lord’s loving smile and lotus feet as described in this verse.

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 todayThe Earth’s Deep Separation From the LordThis 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 1.16.35? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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