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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 15: King Pṛthu’s Appearance and Coronation
4.15.84.15.11

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 4.15.9-10

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.15.7inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

ब्रह्मा जगद्गुरुर्देवै: सहासृत्य सुरेश्वरै: ।

वैन्यस्य दक्षिणे हस्ते दृष्ट्वा चिह्नं गदाभृत: ॥ ९ ॥

पादयोररविन्दं च तं वै मेने हरे: कलाम् ।

यस्याप्रतिहतं चक्रमंश: स परमेष्ठिन: ॥ १० ॥

brahmā jagad-gurur devaiḥ

sahāsṛtya sureśvaraiḥ

vainyasya dakṣiṇe haste

dṛṣṭvā cihnaṁ gadābhṛtaḥ

pādayor aravindaṁ ca

taṁ vai mene hareḥ kalām

yasyāpratihataṁ cakram

aṁśaḥ sa parameṣṭhinaḥ

Translation

Lord Brahmā, the master of the entire universe, arrived there accompanied by all the demigods and their chiefs. Seeing the lines of Lord Viṣṇu’s palm on King Pṛthu’s right hand and impressions of lotus flowers on the soles of his feet, Lord Brahmā could understand that King Pṛthu was a partial representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One whose palm bears the sign of a disc, as well as other such lines, should be considered a partial representation or incarnation of the Supreme Lord.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Verify Claims of Divine Incarnation

  1. 1

    Lord Brahmā arrived with the demigods and their chiefs. He personally examined the signs on King Pṛthu’s hands and feet.

  2. 2

    Seeing Lord Viṣṇu’s palm lines and lotus impressions on Pṛthu’s soles, Brahmā recognized him as a partial representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  3. 3

    Before accepting someone as an incarnation of God, one should verify the symptoms given in the śāstras. The purport warns against accepting pretenders and describes how Lord Kṛṣṇa killed a king who falsely declared himself Vāsudeva.

Key points from the purport
  • There is a system by which one can detect an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • Nowadays it has become a cheap fashion to accept any rascal as an incarnation of God, but from this incident we can see that Lord Brahmā personally examined the hands and feet of King Pṛthu for specific signs.
  • Before accepting someone as an incarnation of God, one should verify his identity according to the symptoms mentioned in the śāstras.

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 15: King Pṛthu’s Appearance and Coronation

Pṛthu and Arci appear from Vena’s arms; Pṛthu receives royal gifts and humbly questions premature praise.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.15
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. brahmāLord Brahmā
  2. jagat-guruḥthe master of the universe
  3. devaiḥby the demigods
  4. sahaaccompanied
  5. āsṛtyaarriving
  6. sura-īśvaraiḥwith the chiefs of all the heavenly planets
  7. vainyasyaof Mahārāja Pṛthu, the son of Vena
  8. dakṣiṇeright
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.15

    In this verse: “king”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 4.15

    In this verse: “understand”

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

Do I look for scriptural evidence before accepting claims of divine status?

Practice

Write down the purport’s standard for verifying an incarnation: the symptoms mentioned in the śāstras.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayVerify Claims of Divine IncarnationThis 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 4.15.9-10? Get an answer from the verses themselves.