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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
1.17.381.17.40

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.17.39

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.17.38inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

पुनश्च याचमानाय जातरूपमदात्प्रभु: ।

ततोऽनृतं मदं कामं रजो वैरं च पञ्चमम् ॥ ३९ ॥

punaś ca yācamānāya

jāta-rūpam adāt prabhuḥ

tato ’nṛtaṁ madaṁ kāmaṁ

rajo vairaṁ ca pañcamam

Translation

The personality of Kali asked for something more, and because of his begging, the King gave him permission to live where there is gold because wherever there is gold there is also falsity, intoxication, lust, envy and enmity.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Gold Can Nourish Corruption

  1. 1

    Kali struggled to find the four permitted places during Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s reign. He therefore asked for a more practical place to live.

  2. 2

    The King permitted Kali to live where there was gold. The text connects gold with falsity, intoxication, lust, envy and enmity.

  3. 3

    The purport criticizes issuing currency beyond the value of reserved gold as a form of falsity. It recommends actual gold coins and limits on ornaments to check the misuse of gold.

Key points from the purport
  • Mahārāja Parīkṣit thus gave him permission to live in a place where there is gold, because wherever there is gold there are all the above-mentioned four things, and over and above them there is enmity also.
  • Gold-standard currency is based on falsehood because the currency is not on a par with the reserved gold.
  • The basic principle is falsity because currency notes are issued in value beyond that of the actual reserved gold.

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. punaḥagain
  2. caalso
  3. yācamānāyato the beggar
  4. jāta-rūpamgold
  5. adātgave away
  6. prabhuḥthe King
  7. tataḥwhereby
  8. anṛtamfalsehood
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 1.17

    In this verse: “king”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 1.17

    In this verse: “lust”

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

Does my desire for wealth or ornaments encourage envy, rivalry or dishonesty?

Practice

Pause before one nonessential purchase today and examine whether envy or display is motivating it.

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.

Quoted in 1 lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 1 lecture

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayGold Can Nourish CorruptionThis 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 1.17.39? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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