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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

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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 12 · Chapter 6: Mahārāja Parīkṣit Passes Away
12.6.4312.6.45

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 12.6.44

Visarga· Brahmā's creation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 12.6.37inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

तेनासौ चतुरो वेदांश्चतुर्भिर्वदनैर्विभु: ।

सव्याहृतिकान् सोंकारांश्चातुर्होत्रविवक्षया ॥ ४४ ॥

tenāsau caturo vedāṁś

caturbhir vadanair vibhuḥ

sa-vyāhṛtikān soṁkārāṁś

cātur-hotra-vivakṣayā

Translation

All-powerful Brahmā made use of this collection of sounds to produce from his four faces the four Vedas, which appeared together with the sacred oṁkāra and the seven vyāhṛti invocations. His intention was to propagate the process of Vedic sacrifice according to the different functions performed by the priests of each of the four Vedas.

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.

Brahmā Produces the Four Vedas

  1. 1

    All-powerful Brahmā used the collection of sounds to produce the four Vedas from his four faces.

  2. 2

    The Vedas appeared together with the sacred oṁkāra and the seven vyāhṛti invocations.

  3. 3

    Brahmā intended to propagate Vedic sacrifice, with different functions for the priests of each Veda.

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

Further reading

Chapter 6: Mahārāja Parīkṣit Passes Away

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Using this oṁkāra, Lord Brahmā created the original Vedas and taught them to his sons, Marīci and others, who were all saintly leaders of the brāhmaṇa community. This body of Vedic knowledge was handed down through the disciplic succession of spiritual masters until the end of Dvāpara-yuga, when Lord Vyāsadeva divided it into four parts and instructed various schools of sages in these four saṁhitās.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 12.6
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tenawith that body of sounds
  2. asauhe
  3. caturaḥthe four
  4. vedānVedas
  5. caturbhiḥfrom his four
  6. vadanaiḥfaces
  7. vibhuḥthe all-powerful
  8. sa-vyāhṛtikānalong with the vyāhṛtis (the invocations of the names of the seven planetary systems: bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ, mahaḥ, janaḥ, tapaḥ and satya)
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

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 does Brahmā’s clear purpose help me notice about the appearance of the Vedas?

Practice

Read the translation slowly and identify Brahmā’s stated purpose.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayBrahmā Produces the Four VedasThis 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.

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