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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
4.14.14.14.3

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.14.2

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.14.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

वीरमातरमाहूय सुनीथां ब्रह्मवादिन: ।

प्रकृत्यसम्मतं वेनमभ्यषिञ्चन् पतिं भुव: ॥ २ ॥

vīra-mātaram āhūya

sunīthāṁ brahma-vādinaḥ

prakṛty-asammataṁ venam

abhyaṣiñcan patiṁ bhuvaḥ

Translation

The great sages then called for the Queen Mother, Sunīthā, and with her permission they installed Vena on the throne as master of the world. All the ministers, however, disagreed with this.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Vena’s Appointment Met With Disagreement

  1. 1

    The great sages called for the Queen Mother, Sunīthā, before installing Vena on the throne.

  2. 2

    With her permission, they made Vena master of the world.

  3. 3

    All the ministers disagreed with this appointment. The decision therefore did not have everyone’s approval.

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
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. vīraof Vena
  2. mātarammother
  3. āhūyacalling
  4. sunīthāmof the name Sunīthā
  5. brahma-vādinaḥthe great sages learned in the Vedas
  6. prakṛtiby the ministers
  7. asammatamnot approved of
  8. venamVena
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

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 4.14

    In this verse: “mother”

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

When making a shared decision, do I notice who disagrees?

Practice

Before one shared decision today, ask another person for their view and listen to any disagreement.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayVena’s Appointment Met With DisagreementThis 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.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 4.14.2? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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