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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 14: The Story of King Vena
4.14.154.14.17

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.14.16

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The sagessince 4.14.16inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

स ते मा विनशेद्वीर प्रजानां क्षेमलक्षण: ।

यस्मिन् विनष्टे नृपतिरैश्वर्यादवरोहति ॥ १६ ॥

sa te mā vinaśed vīra

prajānāṁ kṣema-lakṣaṇaḥ

yasmin vinaṣṭe nṛpatir

aiśvaryād avarohati

Translation

The sages continued: O great hero, for this reason you should not be the cause of spoiling the spiritual life of the general populace. If their spiritual life is spoiled because of your activities, you will certainly fall down from your opulent and royal position.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Protect the Spiritual Life of Others

  1. 1

    The sages warned Vena not to spoil the spiritual life of the people. Their spiritual welfare was a cause of prosperity.

  2. 2

    A king who damages the people’s spiritual life will fall from his royal position. Authority does not remove responsibility for spiritual harm.

  3. 3

    The purport describes monarchy’s decline from religious life into godless sense gratification. Replacing monarchy with democracy is insufficient unless rulers follow great religious personalities.

Key points from the purport
  • Formerly, in practically all parts of the world, there were monarchies, but gradually as monarchy declined from the ideal life of religion to the godless life of sense gratification, monarchies all over the world were abolished.
  • However, simply abolishing monarchy and replacing it with democracy is not sufficient unless the government men are religious and follow in the footsteps of great religious personalities.

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 14: The Story of King Vena

Vena rejects the sages’ advice; after his death, they seek to preserve King Aṅga’s family.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.14
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saḥthat spiritual life
  2. teby you
  3. mādo not
  4. vinaśetlet it be spoiled
  5. vīraO hero
  6. prajānāmof the people
  7. kṣema-lakṣaṇaḥthe cause of prosperity
  8. yasminwhich
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.14

    In this verse: “king”, “rulers”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 4.14

    In this verse: “welfare”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 4.14

    In this verse: “religious”

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

Does my influence support others’ spiritual life or make it harder?

Practice

Make one small adjustment today so that your activities do not interrupt someone else’s spiritual practice.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayProtect the Spiritual Life of OthersThis 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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