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

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Canto 4 · The Creation of the Fourth Order · 31 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.
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Canto 4 · Chapter 11: Svāyambhuva Manu Advises Dhruva Mahārāja to Stop Fighting
4.11.54.11.7

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.11.6

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.11.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

तान् हन्यमानानभिवीक्ष्य गुह्यका-

ननागसश्चित्ररथेन भूरिश: ।

औत्तानपादिं कृपया पितामहो

मनुर्जगादोपगत: सहर्षिभि: ॥ ६ ॥

tān hanyamānān abhivīkṣya guhyakān

anāgasaś citra-rathena bhūriśaḥ

auttānapādiṁ kṛpayā pitāmaho

manur jagādopagataḥ saharṣibhiḥ

Translation

When Svāyambhuva Manu saw that his grandson Dhruva Mahārāja was killing so many of the Yakṣas who were not actually offenders, out of his great compassion he approached Dhruva with great sages to give him good instruction.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Compassion Protects the Innocent

  1. 1

    Only one Yakṣa was guilty of killing Dhruva Mahārāja’s brother, Uttama. The other citizens were not responsible for that offense.

  2. 2

    Manu did not approve of attacking a whole population for one person’s fault. He wanted Dhruva to stop killing innocent Yakṣas.

  3. 3

    Out of great compassion, Svāyambhuva Manu approached his grandson with great sages to give him good instruction.

Key points from the purport
  • Dhruva Mahārāja attacked Alakāpurī, the city of the Yakṣas, because his brother was killed by one of them.
  • Dhruva Mahārāja, of course, took a very serious step when his brother was killed by the Yakṣas.
  • He therefore wanted to stop his grandson Dhruva from continuing to kill the Yakṣa citizens who were not offenders.

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

Rejection → Transformed aspiration. A child's wounded pride is purified by divine encounter.

Chapters 8–12 of Canto 4: Dhruva seeks and encounters the Lord. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 11: Svāyambhuva Manu Advises Dhruva Mahārāja to Stop Fighting

Svāyambhuva Manu urges Dhruva to stop killing innocent Yakṣas and turn his attention to the Supreme Lord.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.11
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tānthose Yakṣas
  2. hanyamānānbeing killed
  3. abhivīkṣyaseeing
  4. guhyakānthe Yakṣas
  5. anāgasaḥoffenseless
  6. citra-rathenaby Dhruva Mahārāja, who had a beautiful chariot
  7. bhūriśaḥgreatly
  8. auttānapādimunto the son of Uttānapāda
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 4.11

    In this verse: “offenders”, “offense”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 4.11

    In this verse: “compassion”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.11

    In this verse: “citizens”

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

Do I ever blame an entire group for one person’s wrongdoing?

Practice

Review one complaint you have about a group and distinguish the individual’s action from the others’ innocence.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayCompassion Protects the InnocentThis 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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