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

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Canto 12 · The Age of Deterioration · 13 chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

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How to study this verse, in six steps

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.

Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›

Canto 12 · Chapter 6: Mahārāja Parīkṣit Passes Away

12.6.25 12.6.27

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 12.6.26

Ūti· What drives us to act

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:The intelligent King Janamejaya, hearing these wordssince 12.6.20inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

सर्पचौराग्निविद्युद्‌भ्य: क्षुत्तृड्‌व्याध्यादिभिर्नृप ।

पञ्चत्वमृच्छते जन्तुर्भुङ्क्त आरब्धकर्म तत् ॥ २६ ॥

sarpa-caurāgni-vidyudbhyaḥ

kṣut-tṛd-vyādhy-ādibhir nṛpa

pañcatvam ṛcchate jantur

bhuṅkta ārabdha-karma tat

Translation

When a conditioned soul is killed by snakes, thieves, fire, lightning, hunger, disease or anything else, he is experiencing the reaction to his own past work.

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.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Personally Receives His Devotee

1
When a conditioned soul is killed by snakes, thieves, fire or other causes, he experiences the reaction to his own past work.
2
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains that King Parīkṣit was not suffering the reaction of past karma.
3
As a great devotee, Parīkṣit was personally brought back home, back to Godhead, by the Lord.

Key points from the purport

According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, King Parīkṣit obviously was not suffering the reaction of past karma.
As a great devotee he was personally brought back home, back to Godhead, by the Lord.

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

Approaching death → Demonstrated fearlessness. Parīkṣit is already a great devotee; his final hearing exemplifies fearlessness for the audience.

Chapters 5–6 of Canto 12: Śukadeva's final instruction and Parīkṣit's passing. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 6: Mahārāja Parīkṣit Passes Away

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Even though Takṣaka received protection from Indra, he nevertheless became attracted by the mantras and was about to fall into the fire. Seeing this, Bṛhaspati, the son of Aṅgirā Ṛṣi, came and advised Mahārāja Janamejaya that Takṣaka could not be killed because he had drunk the nectar of the demigods.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 12.6

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

sarpafrom snakes
caurathieves
agnifire
vidyudbhyaḥand lightning
kṣutfrom hunger
tṛṭthirst
vyādhidisease
ādibhiḥand other agents

Key ideas in this verse

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

Ūti · The creative impetus
Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 12.6
In this verse: “devotee”
Karuṇā · Compassion
Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 12.6
In this verse: “suffering”
Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership
Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 12.6
In this verse: “king”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does Parīkṣit’s destination teach me about the Lord’s care for His devotee?

Practice

Spend one minute remembering that the Lord personally brought His great devotee back to Godhead.

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Personally Receives His DevoteeThis 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 12.6.26? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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