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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
1.17.341.17.36

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.17.35

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.17.35inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

सूत उवाच

परीक्षितैवमादिष्ट: स कलिर्जातवेपथु: ।

तमुद्यतासिमाहेदं दण्डपाणिमिवोद्यतम् ॥ ३५ ॥

sūta uvāca

parīkṣitaivam ādiṣṭaḥ

sa kalir jāta-vepathuḥ

tam udyatāsim āhedaṁ

daṇḍa-pāṇim ivodyatam

Translation

Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: The personality of Kali, thus being ordered by Mahārāja Parīkṣit, began to tremble in fear. Seeing the King before him like Yamarāja, ready to kill him, Kali spoke to the King as follows.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Firm Authority Restrains Disturbance

  1. 1

    Mahārāja Parīkṣit was ready to punish Kali if he disobeyed, but otherwise allowed him to live. His decision depended on Kali’s obedience.

  2. 2

    After trying various ways to escape punishment, Kali decided to surrender. He trembled before the King in fear for his life.

  3. 3

    The purport stresses that rulers must be strong enough to restrain those who disturb citizens. Their protective orders must carry real authority.

Key points from the purport
  • The King was ready to kill the personality of Kali at once, as soon as he disobeyed his order.
  • The personality of Kali also, after attempting to get rid of the punishment in various ways, decided that he must surrender unto him, and thus he began to tremble in fear of his life.
  • The king, or the executive head, must be so strong as to stand before the personality of Kali like the personality of death, Yamarāja.

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. sūtaḥ uvācaŚrī Sūta Gosvāmī said
  2. parīkṣitāby Mahārāja Parīkṣit
  3. evamthus
  4. ādiṣṭaḥbeing ordered
  5. saḥhe
  6. kaliḥthe personality of Kali
  7. jātathere was
  8. vepathuḥtrembling
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”, “rulers”, “citizens”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

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

    In this verse: “fear”

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 1.17

    In this verse: “protective”

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

Where do I need to accept a rightful boundary rather than look for ways around it?

Practice

Follow one protective rule today that you have been tempted to ignore.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayFirm Authority Restrains DisturbanceThis 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 1.17.35? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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