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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 89: Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna Retrieve a Brāhmaṇa’s Sons
10.89.2210.89.24

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.89.23

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The brāhmaṇasince 10.89.23inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

ब्रह्मद्विष: शठधियो लुब्धस्य विषयात्मन: ।

क्षत्रबन्धो: कर्मदोषात् पञ्चत्वं मे गतोऽर्भक: ॥ २३ ॥

brahma-dviṣaḥ śaṭha-dhiyo

lubdhasya viṣayātmanaḥ

kṣatra-bandhoḥ karma-doṣāt

pañcatvaṁ me gato ’rbhakaḥ

Translation

[The brāhmaṇa said:] This duplicitous, greedy enemy of brāhmaṇas, this unqualified ruler addicted to sense pleasure, has caused my son’s death by some discrepancies in the execution of his duties.

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.

Leadership Means Accepting Responsibility

  1. 1

    Presuming that he had done nothing to cause his son’s death, the brāhmaṇa blamed King Ugrasena. His accusations express his judgment of the ruler.

  2. 2

    In the Vedic social system, the monarch is considered responsible for everything that happens in the kingdom, good or bad.

  3. 3

    The purport applies this principle to managers as well. A person in charge should accept responsibility for failure rather than blame subordinates or superiors.

Key points from the purport
  • Presuming that he himself had done nothing to cause his son’s death, the brāhmaṇa thought it reasonable to blame King Ugrasena.
  • In the Vedic social system, the monarch is considered responsible for everything occurring in his kingdom, good or bad.
  • Even in a democracy, a manager who takes charge of some group or project should accept personal responsibility for any failure rather than, as is so common today, trying to place the blame on his subordinates or superiors.

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

Awe → Reverent fulfillment. The canto closes with theological wonder.

Chapters 87–90 of Canto 10: The Vedas praise and the Lord's glories conclude. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 89: Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna Retrieve a Brāhmaṇa’s Sons

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The brāhmaṇa took his dead son to the court of King Ugrasena and berated the King: “This duplicitous, greedy enemy of brāhmaṇas has caused my son’s death by failing to execute his duties properly!” The same misfortune continued to befall the brāhmaṇa, and each time he would bring his dead infant’s body to the royal court and berate the King.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.89
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. brahmaagainst brāhmaṇas
  2. dviṣaḥhateful
  3. śaṭhaduplicitous
  4. dhiyaḥwhose mentality
  5. lubdhasyaavaricious
  6. viṣaya-ātmanaḥaddicted to sense gratification
  7. kṣatra-bandhoḥof an unqualified kṣatriya
  8. karmain the performance of duties
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 10.89

    In this verse: “ruler”, “king”, “kingdom”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 10.89

    In this verse: “duties”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 10.89

    In this verse: “death”

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

When something under my care goes wrong, do I accept responsibility or shift blame?

Practice

Identify one responsibility you hold and take one corrective step without blaming someone else.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLeadership Means Accepting ResponsibilityThis 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 10.89.23? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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