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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
4.14.454.15.1

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.14.46

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The saintly sagessince 4.14.32inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

तस्य वंश्यास्तु नैषादा गिरिकाननगोचरा: ।

येनाहरज्जायमानो वेनकल्मषमुल्बणम् ॥ ४६ ॥

tasya vaṁśyās tu naiṣādā

giri-kānana-gocarāḥ

yenāharaj jāyamāno

vena-kalmaṣam ulbaṇam

Translation

After his [Niṣāda’s] birth, he immediately took charge of all the resultant actions of King Vena’s sinful activities. As such, this Naiṣāda class are always engaged in sinful activities like stealing, plundering and hunting. Consequently they are only allowed to live in the hills and forests.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Can Deliver Anyone

  1. 1

    At birth, Niṣāda took upon himself the results of King Vena’s sinful activities. The translation describes his descendants as engaged in stealing, plundering and hunting, and restricted to living in hills and forests.

  2. 2

    The purport emphasizes that even those described as sinful can reach the topmost Vaiṣṇava platform by the mercy of a pure devotee. No one is excluded from this possibility of deliverance.

  3. 3

    Loving devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, can free anyone from contamination. By taking shelter of Him, everyone can become fit to return home, back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • The Naiṣādas are not allowed to live in cities and towns because they are sinful by nature.
  • As such, their bodies are very ugly, and their occupations are also sinful.
  • Engagement in the transcendental loving devotional service of the Lord can make anyone, however sinful he may be, fit to return home, back to Godhead.

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· 1

The purport of SB 4.14.46 quotesBG 9.32

This is confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (9.32): “O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter of Me, though they be of lower birth — women, vaiśyas [merchants] as well as śūdras [workers] — can approach the supreme destination.”

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 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. tasyahis (Niṣāda’s)
  2. vaṁśyāḥdescendants
  3. tuthen
  4. naiṣādāḥcalled Naiṣādas
  5. giri-kānanathe hills and forests
  6. gocarāḥinhabiting
  7. yenabecause
  8. aharathe took upon himself
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

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

    In this verse: “sinful”, “contamination”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.14

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotee”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.14

    In this verse: “king”

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

How does the possibility of deliverance through devotional service change my view of myself and others?

Practice

Offer a brief prayer to Kṛṣṇa today, asking for shelter and help in engaging in His devotional service.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevotional Service Can Deliver AnyoneThis 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 4.14.46? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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