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

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Canto 3 · The Status Quo · 33 chapters

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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 3 · Chapter 22: The Marriage of Kardama Muni and Devahūti
3.22.163.22.18

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 3.22.17

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The great sagesince 3.22.15inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

यां हर्म्यपृष्ठे क्‍वणदङ्‌घ्रिशोभां

विक्रीडतीं कन्दुकविह्वलाक्षीम् ।

विश्‍वावसुर्न्यपतत्स्वाद्विमाना-

द्विलोक्य सम्मोहविमूढचेता: ॥ १७ ॥

yāṁ harmya-pṛṣṭhe kvaṇad-aṅghri-śobhāṁ

vikrīḍatīṁ kanduka-vihvalākṣīm

viśvāvasur nyapatat svād vimānād

vilokya sammoha-vimūḍha-cetāḥ

Translation

I have heard that Viśvāvasu, the great Gandharva, his mind stupefied with infatuation, fell from his airplane after seeing your daughter playing with a ball on the roof of the palace, for she was indeed beautiful with her tinkling ankle bells and her eyes moving to and fro.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Beauty Can Bewilder the Mind

  1. 1

    Kardama Muni recounted an incident he had heard: Viśvāvasu saw Devahūti playing ball on the palace roof.

  2. 2

    The purport explains that harmya means a very large palatial building. It also understands the account to indicate the use of private airplanes in those days.

  3. 3

    Captivated by Devahūti's beauty and the sound of her ankle ornaments, Viśvāvasu became bewildered and fell from his airplane.

Key points from the purport
  • The Gandharva Viśvāvasu, while flying in the sky, could see Devahūti playing ball on the roof of the palace.
  • Ball playing was also current, but aristocratic girls would not play in a public place.
  • Ball playing and other such pleasures were not meant for ordinary women and girls; only princesses like Devahūti could indulge in such sports.

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

Longing and service → Preparedness. Family devotion turns toward higher spiritual fulfillment.

Chapters 20–24 of Canto 3: Kardama, Devahūti, family and renunciation. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 22: The Marriage of Kardama Muni and Devahūti

Kardama marries Devahūti with plans for later renunciation, and Manu returns home absorbed in Vāsudeva.

Back to this verse in chapter 3.22
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yāmwhom
  2. harmya-pṛṣṭheon the roof of the palace
  3. kvaṇat-aṅghri-śobhāmwhose beauty was heightened by the tinkling ornaments on her feet
  4. vikrīḍatīmplaying
  5. kanduka-vihvala-akṣīmwith eyes bewildered, following her ball
  6. viśvāvasuḥViśvāvasu
  7. nyapatatfell down
  8. svātfrom his own
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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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 3.22

    In this verse: “heard”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 3.22

    In this verse: “understands”

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 attraction captures my attention, how does it affect my awareness of what I am doing?

Practice

When an attractive sight or sound distracts you today, pause and carefully return to your task.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayBeauty Can Bewilder the MindThis 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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