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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 19: The Appearance of Śukadeva Gosvāmī
1.19.171.19.19

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.19.18

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The fortunate Kingsince 1.19.13inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

एवं च तस्मिन्नरदेवदेवे

प्रायोपविष्टे दिवि देवसङ्घा: ।

प्रशस्य

भूमौ व्यकिरन् प्रसूनै-

र्मुदा मुहुर्दुन्दुभयश्च नेदु: ॥ १८ ॥

evaṁ ca tasmin nara-deva-deve

prāyopaviṣṭe divi deva-saṅghāḥ

praśasya bhūmau vyakiran prasūnair

mudā muhur dundubhayaś ca neduḥ

Translation

Thus the King, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, sat to fast until death. All the demigods of the higher planets praised the King’s actions and in pleasure continually scattered flowers over the earth and beat celestial drums.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Rejoice in a Devotee’s Spiritual Progress

  1. 1

    The demigods rejoiced at Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s determination to attain salvation, honoring him with flowers and celestial drums.

  2. 2

    Although their lives are more luxurious than human lives, the demigods obey the Supreme Lord. They take pleasure in seeing someone go back to Godhead.

  3. 3

    The demigods may help the Lord’s devotees, and this pleases the Lord. There is an invisible chain of cooperation between the Lord, the demigods and devotees on earth.

Key points from the purport
  • Even up to the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit there were interplanetary communications, and the news of Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s fasting unto death to attain salvation reached the higher planets in the sky where the intelligent demigods live.
  • Thus any devotee of the Lord on the surface of the earth is always praised by them, and in the case of Mahārāja Parīkṣit they were greatly delighted and thus gave tokens of honor by scattering flowers over the earth and by beating celestial drums.
  • There is an invisible chain of complete cooperation between the Lord, the demigods and the devotee of the Lord on earth.

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 19: The Appearance of Śukadeva Gosvāmī

Parīkṣit accepts impending death, sits beside the Ganges, and asks Śukadeva Gosvāmī about perfection.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.19
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. evamthus
  2. caand
  3. tasminin that
  4. nara-deva-deveupon the King’s
  5. prāya-upaviṣṭebeing engaged in fasting to death
  6. diviin the sky
  7. devademigods
  8. saṅghāḥall of them
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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

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 1.19

    In this verse: “death”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 1.19

    In this verse: “king”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 1.19

    In this verse: “devotees”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How do you respond when you see someone making spiritual progress?

Practice

Offer a sincere word of encouragement to someone making an effort in devotional service.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRejoice in a Devotee’s Spiritual ProgressThis 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.

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