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Canto 12 · The Age of Deterioration · 13 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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 12.1.21-26

Who is speaking and story frame

कृष्णनामाथ तद्भ्राता भविता पृथिवीपति: ।

श्रीशान्तकर्णस्तत्पुत्र: पौर्णमासस्तु तत्सुत: ॥ २१ ॥

लम्बोदरस्तु तत्पुत्रस्तस्माच्चिबिलको नृप: ।

मेघस्वातिश्चिबिलकादटमानस्तु तस्य च ॥ २२ ॥

अनिष्टकर्मा हालेयस्तलकस्तस्य चात्मज: ।

पुरीषभीरुस्तत्पुत्रस्ततो राजा सुनन्दन: ॥ २३ ॥

चकोरो बहवो यत्र शिवस्वातिररिन्दम: ।

तस्यापि गोमतीपुत्र: पुरीमान् भविता तत: ॥ २४ ॥

मेदशिरा: शिवस्कन्दो यज्ञश्रीस्तत्सुतस्तत: ।

विजयस्तत्सुतो भाव्यश्चन्द्रविज्ञ: सलोमधि: ॥ २५ ॥

एते त्रिंशन्नृपतयश्चत्वार्यब्दशतानि च ।

षट्पञ्चाशच्च पृथिवीं भोक्ष्यन्ति कुरुनन्दन ॥ २६ ॥

kṛṣṇa-nāmātha tad-bhrātā

bhavitā pṛthivī-patiḥ

śrī-śāntakarṇas tat-putraḥ

paurṇamāsas tu tat-sutaḥ

lambodaras tu tat-putras

tasmāc cibilako nṛpaḥ

meghasvātiś cibilakād

aṭamānas tu tasya ca

aniṣṭakarmā hāleyas

talakas tasya cātma-jaḥ

purīṣabhīrus tat-putras

tato rājā sunandanaḥ

cakoro bahavo yatra

śivasvātir arin-damaḥ

tasyāpi gomatī putraḥ

purīmān bhavitā tataḥ

medaśirāḥ śivaskando

yajñaśrīs tat-sutas tataḥ

vijayas tat-suto bhāvyaś

candravijñaḥ sa-lomadhiḥ

ete triṁśan nṛpatayaś

catvāry abda-śatāni ca

ṣaṭ-pañcāśac ca pṛthivīṁ

bhokṣyanti kuru-nandana

Translation

The brother of Balī, named Kṛṣṇa, will become the next ruler of the earth. His son will be Śāntakarṇa, and his son will be Paurṇamāsa. The son of Paurṇamāsa will be Lambodara, who will father Mahārāja Cibilaka. From Cibilaka will come Meghasvāti, whose son will be Aṭamāna. The son of Aṭamāna will be Aniṣṭakarmā. His son will be Hāleya, and his son will be Talaka. The son of Talaka will be Purīṣabhīru, and following him Sunandana will become king. Sunandana will be followed by Cakora and the eight Bahus, among whom Śivasvāti will be a great subduer of enemies. The son of Śivasvāti will be Gomatī. His son will be Purīmān, whose son will be Medaśirā. His son will be Śivaskanda, and his son will be Yajñaśrī. The son of Yajñaśrī will be Vijaya, who will have two sons, Candravijña and Lomadhi. These thirty kings will enjoy sovereignty over the earth for a total of 456 years, O favorite son of the Kurus.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

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.

Thirty Kings Hold Power for 456 Years

  1. 1

    Balī’s brother, named Kṛṣṇa, will become the next ruler. His son will be Śāntakarṇa, followed by Paurṇamāsa.

  2. 2

    The succession includes Cakora and the eight Bahus. Among them, Śivasvāti will be a great subduer of enemies.

  3. 3

    These thirty kings will enjoy sovereignty over the earth for a total of 456 years.

How it feels

Civilizational dread → Dispassion. Social and cosmic impermanence expose the limits of worldly plans.

Chapters 1–4 of Canto 12: The deterioration of Kali and universal dissolution. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 1: The Degraded Dynasties of Kali-yuga

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Following Purañjaya there will be five kings known as the Pradyotanas, who are then followed by the Śiśunāgas, the Mauryas, the Śuṅgas, the Kāṇvas, thirty kings of the Andhra nation, seven Ābhīras, ten Gardabhīs, sixteen Kaṅkas, eight Yavanas, fourteen Turuṣkas, ten Guruṇḍas, eleven Maulas, five Kilakilā monarchs and thirteen Bāhlikas. After this, different regions will be ruled over at the same time by seven Andhra kings, seven Kauśalas, the kings of Vidūra, and the Niṣadhas.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 12.1
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kṛṣṇa-nāmanamed Kṛṣṇa
  2. athathen
  3. tatof him (Balī)
  4. bhrātāthe brother
  5. bhavitāwill become
  6. pṛthivī-patiḥthe master of the earth
  7. śrī-śāntakarṇaḥŚrī Śāntakarṇa
  8. tatof Kṛṣṇa
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Visarga · Subcreation

    How do living beings and their worlds appear? · Subject 2 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 12.1

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

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 12.1

    In this verse: “favorite”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 12.1

    In this verse: “father”

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

What do I notice when many generations of rulers are described within one measured span of time?

Practice

Read the succession slowly once, then write down its total number of kings and years.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThirty Kings Hold Power for 456 YearsThis 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 12.1.21-26? Get an answer from the verses themselves.