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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 7: The Son of Droṇa Punished
1.7.361.7.38

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.7.37

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Kṛṣṇasince 1.7.35inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

स्वप्राणान् य: परप्राणै: प्रपुष्णात्यघृण: खल: ।

तद्वधस्तस्य हि श्रेयो यद्दोषाद्यात्यध: पुमान् ॥ ३७ ॥

sva-prāṇān yaḥ para-prāṇaiḥ

prapuṣṇāty aghṛṇaḥ khalaḥ

tad-vadhas tasya hi śreyo

yad-doṣād yāty adhaḥ pumān

Translation

A cruel and wretched person who maintains his existence at the cost of others’ lives deserves to be killed for his own well-being, otherwise he will go down by his own actions.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Respect Life and Its Spiritual Purpose

  1. 1

    The purport describes punishment by the state as a means of saving a murderer from suffering for that act in the next life.

  2. 2

    Responsibility for animal-killing extends to those who permit, carry out, sell, cook, distribute or eat the animal. Scriptural restrictions on animal sacrifice are meant to limit killing, not encourage it.

  3. 3

    No one can create a living being, so no one has the right to kill by independent whim. Human life's prime duty is to prepare to go back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • A life for a life is just punishment for a person who cruelly and shamelessly lives at the cost of another’s life.
  • Political morality is to punish a person by a death sentence in order to save a cruel person from going to hell.
  • The procedure under which animal sacrifice is allowed in the scriptures is good both for the animal sacrificed and the animal-eaters.

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

Grief → Trust. Violence and bereavement make Kṛṣṇa's protective presence precious.

Chapters 7–9 of Canto 1: Postwar anguish, Kuntī and Bhīṣma. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 7: The Son of Droṇa Punished

Vyāsadeva compiles Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; Arjuna captures Aśvatthāmā, and Kṛṣṇa addresses the question of his punishment.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.7
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sva-prāṇānone’s own life
  2. yaḥone who
  3. para-prāṇaiḥat the cost of others’ lives
  4. prapuṣṇātimaintains properly
  5. aghṛṇaḥshameless
  6. khalaḥwretched
  7. tat-vadhaḥkilling of him
  8. tasyahis
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 1.7

    In this verse: “suffering”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 1.7

    In this verse: “duty”

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 remembering life's spiritual purpose make me more careful about harming other living beings?

Practice

Choose a meal today that does not depend on animal slaughter.

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 · quoted in 1 more lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 1 other 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 todayRespect Life and Its Spiritual PurposeThis 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 1.7.37? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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