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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

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 4 · Chapter 12: Dhruva Mahārāja Goes Back to Godhead

4.12.27 4.12.29

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.12.28

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.12.28inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

मैत्रेय उवाच

निशम्य वैकुण्ठनियोज्यमुख्ययो-

र्मधुच्युतं वाचमुरुक्रमप्रिय: ।

कृताभिषेक: कृतनित्यमङ्गलो

मुनीन् प्रणम्याशिषमभ्यवादयत् ॥ २८ ॥

maitreya uvāca

niśamya vaikuṇṭha-niyojya-mukhyayor

madhu-cyutaṁ vācam urukrama-priyaḥ

kṛtābhiṣekaḥ kṛta-nitya-maṅgalo

munīn praṇamyāśiṣam abhyavādayat

Translation

The great sage Maitreya continued: Mahārāja Dhruva was very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When he heard the sweet speeches of the Lord’s chief associates in the Vaikuṇṭha planet, he immediately took his sacred bath, dressed himself with suitable ornaments, and performed his daily spiritual duties. Thereafter he offered his respectful obeisances to the great sages present there and accepted their blessings.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Remain Dutiful and Humble in Devotional Service

1
Dhruva Mahārāja remained alert in his devotional duties even when leaving this material world. He bathed and performed his daily spiritual duties before departing.
2
Śrīla Prabhupāda instructs devotees to bathe early and decorate the body with tilaka. The twelve tilaka marks are sufficient auspicious decorations to purify the body.
3
Dhruva Mahārāja did not become proud because Lord Viṣṇu’s airplane was waiting for him. As a humble Vaiṣṇava, he offered respects to the sages and accepted their blessings.

Key points from the purport

We should mark how dutiful Dhruva Mahārāja was in his devotional service, even at the time he left this material world.
Since Dhruva Mahārāja was living at that time at Badarikāśrama, there were other great sages there.
He did not become puffed up because the airplane sent by Lord Viṣṇu was waiting for him; as a humble Vaiṣṇava, he accepted blessings from all the sages before riding on the plane brought by the chief of the Vaikuṇṭha associates.

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

Chapter 12: Dhruva Mahārāja Goes Back to Godhead

Dhruva stops fighting, continues devotional service, leaves his kingdom, and goes back to Godhead.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.12

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

maitreyaḥ uvācathe great sage Maitreya said
niśamyaafter hearing
vaikuṇṭhaof the Lord
niyojyaassociates
mukhyayoḥof the chief
madhu-cyutamlike pouring honey
vācamspeeches
urukrama-priyaḥDhruva Mahārāja, who was very dear to the Lord

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
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.12
In this verse: “devotional”, “devotees”
Dainya · Humility
Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 4.12
In this verse: “humble”, “proud”
Kṛpā · Divine mercy
Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 4.12
In this verse: “blessings”

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

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I remain humble and attentive to devotional duties when I receive special honor?

Practice

Carry out one of your daily devotional duties carefully today, without rushing.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRemain Dutiful and Humble in Devotional ServiceThis 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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