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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 10 · The Summum Bonum · 90 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 10 · Chapter 73: Lord Kṛṣṇa Blesses the Liberated Kings
10.73.12-1310.73.15

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.73.14

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The kingssince 10.73.8inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

अथो न राज्यं मृगतृष्णिरूपितं

देहेन शश्वत् पतता रुजां भुवा ।

उपासितव्यं स्पृहयामहे विभो

क्रियाफलं प्रेत्य च कर्णरोचनम् ॥ १४ ॥

atho na rājyam mṛga-tṛṣṇi-rūpitaṁ

dehena śaśvat patatā rujāṁ bhuvā

upāsitavyaṁ spṛhayāmahe vibho

kriyā-phalaṁ pretya ca karṇa-rocanam

Translation

Never again will we hanker for a miragelike kingdom — a kingdom that must be slavishly served by this mortal body, which is simply a source of disease and suffering and which is declining at every moment. Nor, O almighty Lord, will we hanker to enjoy the heavenly fruits of pious work in the next life, since the promise of such rewards is simply an empty enticement for the ears.

Read the purport on Vedabase.io

From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Seek Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, Not Temporary Rewards

  1. 1

    Maintaining political power demands hard work from a body that is itself declining toward death and subject to painful diseases. Such mundane power wastes the pure soul’s time.

  2. 2

    Promises of prosperity and heavenly enjoyment may please the ears. Yet material enjoyment remains an illusion for the pure soul.

  3. 3

    The soul needs to revive dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Through Lord Kṛṣṇa’s personal association, the kings realized the higher spiritual reality beyond material appearances.

Key points from the purport
  • One must work very hard to maintain a kingdom or political sovereignty.
  • At every moment the mortal body moves toward death, and all along the way the body is subject to many painful diseases.
  • The Vedic scriptures and other religious scriptures contain many promises of prosperity and heavenly enjoyment in the next life for one who acts piously in this life.

The purport'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

War and pride → Justice and protection. The public expression of divine power comes to the foreground.

Chapters 70–79 of Canto 10: Kingship, Jarāsandha and royal challenges. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 73: Lord Kṛṣṇa Blesses the Liberated Kings

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Seeing their imprisonment as an act of mercy by the Lord to smash their false pride, the kings prayed only to be granted whatever would facilitate their perpetual remembrance of His lotus feet. The Lord assured the kings that their prayer would be fulfilled.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.73
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. atha uhenceforward
  2. nanot
  3. rājyamkingdom
  4. mṛga-tṛṣṇilike a mirage
  5. rūpitamwhich appears
  6. dehenaby the material body
  7. śaśvatperpetually
  8. patatāsubject to demise
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 10.73

    In this verse: “kingdom”, “kings”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 10.73

    In this verse: “illusion”, “material”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 10.73

    In this verse: “suffering”

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

Which temporary reward takes attention away from reviving your Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Practice

Set aside five minutes otherwise spent pursuing a temporary reward and use them to reflect on Kṛṣṇa.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todaySeek Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, Not Temporary RewardsThis 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 10.73.14? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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