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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 18: Mahārāja Parīkṣit Cursed by a Brāhmaṇa Boy
1.18.351.18.37

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.18.36

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The brāhmaṇa’s son, Śṛṅgisince 1.18.33inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

इत्युक्त्वा रोषताम्राक्षो वयस्यानृषिबालक: ।

कौशिक्याप उपस्पृश्य वाग्वज्रं विससर्ज ह ॥ ३६ ॥

ity uktvā roṣa-tāmrākṣo

vayasyān ṛṣi-bālakaḥ

kauśiky-āpa upaspṛśya

vāg-vajraṁ visasarja ha

Translation

The son of the ṛṣi, his eyes red-hot with anger, touched the water of the River Kauśika while speaking to his playmates and discharged the following thunderbolt of words.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Angry Words Can Cause Great Harm

  1. 1

    With eyes red-hot from anger, the sage’s son touched the water of the River Kauśika and released a thunderbolt of words.

  2. 2

    Śṛṅgi was showing his impudence before innocent playmates. The purport describes the circumstances of the curse as childish.

  3. 3

    Killing a king like Mahārāja Parīkṣit merely to display acquired brahminical power was a great mistake. A sensible person would have stopped this harm to human society.

Key points from the purport
  • The circumstances under which Mahārāja Parīkṣit was cursed were simply childish, as it appears from this verse.
  • Śṛṅgi was showing his impudency amongst his playmates, who were innocent.
  • By killing a king like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, just to make a show of acquired brahminical power, the inexperienced son of a brāhmaṇa committed a great mistake.

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

Remorse and urgency → Surrender and inquiry. Seven days to live become the impetus for complete spiritual hearing.

Chapters 18–19 of Canto 1: Parīkṣit is cursed and welcomes Śukadeva. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 18: Mahārāja Parīkṣit Cursed by a Brāhmaṇa Boy

A sage’s son curses Parīkṣit, but his father condemns the punishment of the saintly king.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.18
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. itithus
  2. uktvāsaying
  3. roṣa-tāmra-akṣaḥwith red-hot eyes due to being angry
  4. vayasyānunto the playmates
  5. ṛṣi-bālakaḥthe son of a ṛṣi
  6. kauśikīthe River Kauśikā
  7. āpaḥwater
  8. upaspṛśyaby touching
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 1.18

    In this verse: “king”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 1.18

    In this verse: “childish”

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

Am I more likely to speak harshly when others are watching?

Practice

If anger rises today, delay your reply until you can speak without trying to display power.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayAngry Words Can Cause Great HarmThis 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 1.18.36? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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