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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 17: Punishment and Reward of Kali
1.17.131.17.15

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.17.14

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.17.1inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

जनेऽनागस्यघं युञ्जन् सर्वतोऽस्य च मद्भयम् ।

साधूनां भद्रमेव स्यादसाधुदमने कृते ॥ १४ ॥

jane ’nāgasy aghaṁ yuñjan

sarvato ’sya ca mad-bhayam

sādhūnāṁ bhadram eva syād

asādhu-damane kṛte

Translation

Whoever causes offenseless living beings to suffer must fear me anywhere and everywhere in the world. By curbing dishonest miscreants, one automatically benefits the offenseless.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Protect the Peaceful and Restrain Wrongdoing

  1. 1

    Dishonest people flourish when leaders are too weak to restrain them. Firm punishment of offenders benefits the innocent.

  2. 2

    The foremost duty of a ruler is to protect peaceful, offenseless citizens in every respect.

  3. 3

    Devotees of the Lord are naturally peaceful and offenseless. The purport therefore calls on the state to help people become devotees, bringing peace and harmony to society.

Key points from the purport
  • Dishonest miscreants flourish because of cowardly and impotent executive heads of state.
  • Thus automatically there will be peaceful, offenseless citizens.
  • Then the only duty of the king will be to curb the dishonest miscreants.

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 17: Punishment and Reward of Kali

Parīkṣit protects a cow and bull from abuse and restricts Kali to five places.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.17
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. janeto the living beings
  2. anāgasithose who are offenseless
  3. aghamsufferings
  4. yuñjanby applying
  5. sarvataḥanywhere and everywhere
  6. asyaof such offenders
  7. caand
  8. mat-bhayamfear me
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

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 1.17

    In this verse: “offenseless”, “offenders”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 1.17

    In this verse: “fear”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 1.17

    In this verse: “ruler”, “citizens”

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 my devotion help me become more peaceful and harmless?

Practice

In one interaction today, consciously avoid causing distress and offer peaceful help instead.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayProtect the Peaceful and Restrain WrongdoingThis 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 1.17.14? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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