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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 17: Punishment and Reward of Kali
1.17.281.17.30

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.17.29

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Kingsince 1.17.22inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

तं जिघांसुमभिप्रेत्य विहाय नृपलाञ्छनम् ।

तत्पादमूलं शिरसा समगाद् भयविह्वल: ॥ २९ ॥

taṁ jighāṁsum abhipretya

vihāya nṛpa-lāñchanam

tat-pāda-mūlaṁ śirasā

samagād bhaya-vihvalaḥ

Translation

When the personality of Kali understood that the King was willing to kill him, he at once abandoned the dress of a king and, under pressure of fear, completely surrendered to him, bowing his head.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Outward Dress Cannot Replace Real Qualification

  1. 1

    Kali’s royal dress was artificial. A ruler’s appearance did not give him the qualifications of a genuine kṣatriya.

  2. 2

    The purport describes a real kṣatriya as one who accepts a rival’s challenge and fights to win or die. Kali’s inability to face Mahārāja Parīkṣit exposed his pretense.

  3. 3

    Overcome by fear, Kali abandoned his royal dress and bowed his head. He surrendered when he understood that he could not fight the King.

Key points from the purport
  • The royal dress is suitable for a king or kṣatriya, but when a lower-class man artificially dresses himself as a king, his real identity is disclosed by the challenge of a bona fide kṣatriya like Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
  • In the Age of Kali there are so many pretenders dressed and posed like administrators or executive heads, but their real identity is disclosed when they are challenged by a real kṣatriya.
  • Therefore when the artificially dressed personality of Kali saw that to fight Mahārāja Parīkṣit was beyond his ability, he bowed down his head like a subordinate and gave up his royal dress.

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. tamhim
  2. jighāṁsumwilling to kill
  3. abhipretyaknowing it well
  4. vihāyaleaving aside
  5. nṛpa-lāñchanamthe dress of a king
  6. tat-pāda-mūlamat his feet
  7. śirasāby the head
  8. samagātfully surrendered
  9. bhaya-vihvalaḥunder pressure of fearfulness
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 1.17

    In this verse: “king”, “ruler’s”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

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

    In this verse: “fear”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 1.17

    In this verse: “surrendered”

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 put more effort into appearing qualified than into becoming qualified?

Practice

Choose one responsibility you hold and fulfill one small duty that supports it, without seeking recognition.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayOutward Dress Cannot Replace Real QualificationThis 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 1.17.29? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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