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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
4.13.74.13.10

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 4.13.8-9

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.13.6inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

आत्मानं ब्रह्म निर्वाणं प्रत्यस्तमितविग्रहम् ।

अवबोधरसैकात्म्यमानन्दमनुसन्ततम् ॥ ८ ॥

अव्यवच्छिन्नयोगाग्निदग्धकर्ममलाशय: ।

स्वरूपमवरुन्धानो नात्मनोऽन्यं तदैक्षत ॥ ९ ॥

ātmānaṁ brahma-nirvāṇaṁ

pratyastamita-vigraham

avabodha-rasaikātmyam

ānandam anusantatam

avyavacchinna-yogāgni-

dagdha-karma-malāśayaḥ

svarūpam avarundhāno

nātmano ’nyaṁ tadaikṣata

Translation

By expansion of his knowledge of the Supreme Brahman, he had already attained liberation from the bondage of the body. This liberation is known as nirvāṇa. He was situated in transcendental bliss, and he continued always in that blissful existence, which expanded more and more. This was possible for him by continual practice of bhakti-yoga, which is compared to fire because it burns away all dirty, material things. He was always situated in his constitutional position of self-realization, and he could not see anything else but the Supreme Lord and himself engaged in discharging devotional service.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Purifies and Increases Spiritual Bliss

  1. 1

    Through continual bhakti-yoga, Utkala was liberated from bodily bondage and experienced ever-increasing spiritual bliss. He saw himself engaged in devotional service to the Supreme Lord.

  2. 2

    Bhakti-yoga is the topmost yoga system, and chanting the Lord’s holy name is its foremost devotional practice. Chanting brings liberation from material existence and increases spiritual bliss.

  3. 3

    Advancement in devotional service brings detachment from material enjoyment through a higher spiritual taste. Like fire, devotional service burns away material desires and the reactions of past actions.

Key points from the purport
  • The bhakti-yoga system is the topmost yoga system, and in this system the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is the foremost performance of devotional service.
  • By chanting the holy name one can attain the perfection of nirvāṇa, or liberation from material existence, and so increase one’s blissful life of spiritual existence as described by Lord Caitanya (ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam).
  • The more one makes advancement in devotional service, the more one becomes detached from material opulence and material activity.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 2

The purport of SB 4.13.8-9 quotesBG 18.54

These two verses explain the verse in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.54): “One who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful.

The purport of SB 4.13.8-9 quotesBG 2.59

This is also described in Bhagavad-gītā (2.59).

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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. ātmānamself
  2. brahmaspirit
  3. nirvāṇamextinction of material existence
  4. pratyastamitaceased
  5. vigrahamseparation
  6. avabodha-rasaby the mellow of knowledge
  7. eka-ātmyamoneness
  8. ānandambliss
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.13

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “bhakti-yoga”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.13

    In this verse: “material”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 4.13

    In this verse: “chanting”, “holy name”

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

Am I seeking the higher happiness of devotional service rather than only trying to suppress material desires?

Practice

Spend five minutes chanting the Lord’s holy name with attention today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevotional Service Purifies and Increases Spiritual BlissThis 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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