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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
4.14.304.14.32

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.14.31

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.14.29inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

हन्यतां हन्यतामेष पाप: प्रकृतिदारुण: ।

जीवञ्जगदसावाशु कुरुते भस्मसाद् ध्रुवम् ॥ ३१ ॥

hanyatāṁ hanyatām eṣa

pāpaḥ prakṛti-dāruṇaḥ

jīvañ jagad asāv āśu

kurute bhasmasād dhruvam

Translation

All the great saintly sages immediately cried: Kill him! Kill him! He is the most dreadful, sinful person. If he lives, he will certainly turn the whole world into ashes in no time.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Leadership Must Remain Under Saintly Guidance

  1. 1

    The sages judged King Vena to be dreadful and dangerous to all human society. Fearing widespread destruction, they called for his death.

  2. 2

    Śrīla Prabhupāda says saintly persons are generally kind to all living entities and that killing is not good for them. He explains their decision here by comparing dangerous demons to serpents and scorpions.

  3. 3

    The purport emphasizes the sages' authority over the king. A demonic government should be replaced by deserving persons who follow saintly orders and instructions.

Key points from the purport
  • Therefore all the saintly sages decided to kill King Vena, who was so dreadful and dangerous to all human society.
  • We can appreciate the extent to which the saintly sages actually controlled the king.
  • If the king or government becomes demonic, it is the duty of a saintly person to upset the government and replace it with deserving persons who follow the orders and instructions of saintly persons.

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. hanyatāmkill him
  2. hanyatāmkill him
  3. eṣaḥthis king
  4. pāpaḥrepresentative of sin
  5. prakṛtiby nature
  6. dāruṇaḥmost dreadful
  7. jīvanwhile living
  8. jagatthe whole world
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

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 4.14

    In this verse: “fearing”, “dangerous”, “death”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.14

    In this verse: “king”, “government”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 4.14

    In this verse: “sinful”

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

What makes a leader deserving of responsibility according to this purport?

Practice

Write down one quality of leadership emphasized here: willingness to follow saintly guidance.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLeadership Must Remain Under Saintly GuidanceThis 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 4.14.31? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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