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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 3: Kṛṣṇa Is the Source of All Incarnations
1.3.131.3.15

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.3.14

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.3.1inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

ऋषिभिर्याचितो भेजे नवमं पार्थिवं वपु: ।

दुग्धेमामोषधीर्विप्रास्तेनायं स उशत्तम: ॥ १४ ॥

ṛṣibhir yācito bheje

navamaṁ pārthivaṁ vapuḥ

dugdhemām oṣadhīr viprās

tenāyaṁ sa uśattamaḥ

Translation

O brāhmaṇas, in the ninth incarnation, the Lord, prayed for by sages, accepted the body of a king [Pṛthu] who cultivated the land to yield various produce, and for that reason the earth was beautiful and attractive.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Good Leadership Protects Everyone's Welfare

  1. 1

    A king's duty is to be pious and care for the all-around welfare of the citizens. The sages removed the previous king because of his harmful rule.

  2. 2

    The qualified brāhmaṇas did not seek the throne themselves, having other important duties for public welfare. They prayed for the Lord, who appeared as Mahārāja Pṛthu.

  3. 3

    Mahārāja Pṛthu made the earth yield various kinds of produce. His good rule made the citizens happy and the earth beautiful and attractive.

Key points from the purport
  • The intelligent class of men (namely the sages and the brāhmaṇas) not only prayed for the Lord to come down, but also dethroned the previous king.
  • Instead of occupying the royal throne, they prayed for the incarnation of the Lord, and the Lord came as Mahārāja Pṛthu.
  • Mahārāja Pṛthu excavated many produces from the earth, and thus not only did the citizens become happy to have such a good king, but the complete sight of the earth also became beautiful and attractive.

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

Concern → Purpose. A spiritually urgent question emerges for the age of Kali.

Chapters 1–3 of Canto 1: The sages ask the ultimate questions. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 3: Kṛṣṇa Is the Source of All Incarnations

Sūta describes the Lord’s incarnations and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as His literary incarnation.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.3
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ṛṣibhiḥby the sages
  2. yācitaḥbeing prayed for
  3. bhejeaccepted
  4. navamamthe ninth one
  5. pārthivamthe ruler of the earth
  6. vapuḥbody
  7. dugdhamilking
  8. imāmall these
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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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 1.3

    In this verse: “king”, “king's”, “citizens”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 1.3

    In this verse: “duty”, “duties”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 1.3

    In this verse: “welfare”

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

How can you use a responsibility you hold for others' welfare rather than personal status?

Practice

Do one concrete task within your responsibilities today that improves someone else's well-being.

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.

1 lecture given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

7

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 1.3's connections

Live this todayGood Leadership Protects Everyone's WelfareThis 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 1.3.14? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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