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

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Canto 2 · The Cosmic Manifestation · 10 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 2 · Chapter 1: The First Step in God Realization
2.1.122.1.14

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 2.1.13

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 2.1.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

खट्‍वाङ्गो नाम राजर्षिर्ज्ञात्वेयत्तामिहायुष: ।

मुहूर्तात्सर्वमुत्सृज्य गतवानभयं हरिम् ॥ १३ ॥

khaṭvāṅgo nāma rājarṣir

jñātveyattām ihāyuṣaḥ

muhūrtāt sarvam utsṛjya

gatavān abhayaṁ harim

Translation

The saintly King Khaṭvāṅga, after being informed that the duration of his life would be only a moment more, at once freed himself from all material activities and took shelter of the supreme safety, the Personality of Godhead.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Stay Alert to Life’s Prime Duty

  1. 1

    Meeting the immediate necessities of material life is not everything. Human life is meant for preparing ourselves for the best situation in the next life.

  2. 2

    Mahārāja Khaṭvāṅga remained alert to this prime duty even while managing a kingdom. Rather than asking for material enjoyment, he asked how much time he had left.

  3. 3

    When told that only a moment remained, he took shelter of the all-safe Personality of Godhead and achieved liberation. His example encouraged Mahārāja Parīkṣit to hear the Lord’s glories in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Key points from the purport
  • Mahārāja Khaṭvāṅga is mentioned herein as a saintly king because even within the responsibility of the state management, he was not at all forgetful of the prime duty of life.
  • The demigods, being fully satisfied with him, wanted to give him some benediction for material enjoyment, but Mahārāja Khaṭvāṅga, being very much alert to his prime duty, inquired from the demigods about his remaining duration of life.
  • Mahārāja Parīkṣit was thus encouraged by the great Śukadeva Gosvāmī, even though he had only seven days left in his life to execute the prime duty of hearing the glories of the Lord in the form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Śrīla Prabhupāda'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

Death anxiety → Steady attention. The answer to mortality begins with spiritual focus.

Chapters 1–3 of Canto 2: The practice of hearing, remembering and devotion. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 1: The First Step in God Realization

Śukadeva describes the value of conscious living, self-control, and meditation on the Lord’s universal form.

Back to this verse in chapter 2.1
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. khaṭvāṅgaḥKing Khaṭvāṅga
  2. nāmaname
  3. rāja-ṛṣiḥsaintly king
  4. jñātvāby knowing
  5. iyattāmduration
  6. ihain this world
  7. āyuṣaḥof one’s life
  8. muhūrtātwithin only a moment
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 2.1

    In this verse: “king”, “kingdom”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 2.1

    In this verse: “shelter”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 2.1

    In this verse: “material”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I remembering life’s prime duty while attending to my daily responsibilities?

Practice

Set aside five minutes today to hear the Lord’s glories from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayStay Alert to Life’s Prime DutyThis 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 2.1.13? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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