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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.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 4 · Chapter 13: Description of the Descendants of Dhruva Mahārāja
4.13.374.13.39

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.13.38

Visarga· Brahmā's creation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The head priestssince 4.13.31inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

सा तत्पुंसवनं राज्ञी प्राश्य वै पत्युरादधे ।

गर्भं काल उपावृत्ते कुमारं सुषुवेऽप्रजा ॥ ३८ ॥

sā tat puṁ-savanaṁ rājñī

prāśya vai patyur ādadhe

garbhaṁ kāla upāvṛtte

kumāraṁ suṣuve ’prajā

Translation

Although the Queen had no son, after eating that food, which had the power to produce a male child, she became pregnant by her husband, and in due course of time she gave birth to a son.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Purification Through Food Offered to Lord Viṣṇu

  1. 1

    The Queen, who had no son, ate the food endowed with the power to produce a male child.

  2. 2

    She became pregnant by her husband and gave birth to a son in due course.

  3. 3

    The purport describes puṁ-savanam as one of ten purificatory processes. In this process, the wife receives prasāda, remnants of food offered to Lord Viṣṇu, for conceiving a child.

Key points from the purport
  • Among the ten kinds of purificatory processes, one is puṁ-savanam, in which the wife is offered some prasāda, or remnants of foodstuff offered to Lord Viṣṇu, so that after sexual intercourse with her husband she may conceive a child.

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

Anger and disorder → Duty and devotion. Kingship shifts from domination to stewardship and renunciation.

Chapters 13–23 of Canto 4: Vena and Pṛthu: power, the Earth and stewardship. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 13: Description of the Descendants of Dhruva Mahārāja

Dhruva’s descendants are described, followed by an account of a sonless king and the cruel boy Vena.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.13
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sāshe
  2. tatthat food
  3. pum-savanamwhich produces a male child
  4. rājñīthe Queen
  5. prāśyaeating
  6. vaiindeed
  7. patyuḥfrom the husband
  8. ādadheconceived
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

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 4.13

    In this verse: “child”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 4.13

    In this verse: “purificatory”

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 recognize prasāda as food offered to the Lord rather than ordinary food?

Practice

When receiving prasāda today, pause to remember that it is the remnant of an offering to the Lord.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayPurification Through Food Offered to Lord ViṣṇuThis 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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