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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 16: Praise of King Pṛthu by the Professional Reciters
4.16.174.16.19

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.16.18

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The reciterssince 4.16.10inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

देहिनामात्मवत्प्रेष्ठ: सुहृदां नन्दिवर्धन: । मुक्तसङ्गप्रसङ्गोऽयं दण्डपाणिरसाधुषु ॥ १८ ॥

dehinām ātmavat-preṣṭhaḥ

suhṛdāṁ nandi-vardhanaḥ

mukta-saṅga-prasaṅgo ’yaṁ

daṇḍa-pāṇir asādhuṣu

Translation

The King will consider all embodied living entities as dear as his own self, and he will always be increasing the pleasures of his friends. He will intimately associate with liberated persons, and he will be a chastising hand to all impious persons.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Care for Every Embodied Living Being

  1. 1

    Living entities appear in 8,400,000 species. King Pṛthu treated all embodied beings as dearly as he treated himself.

  2. 2

    The purport criticizes rulers who eat meat or permit cow slaughter while appearing religious. Such conduct does not express equal care for living beings.

  3. 3

    Pṛthu always associated with liberated persons. He also increased his friends’ happiness and chastised impious persons.

Key points from the purport
  • The living entities are embodied in different forms, which number 8,400,000 species.
  • In this age, however, so-called kings and presidents do not treat all other living entities as their own self.
  • Another significant word in this verse is mukta-saṅga-prasaṅgaḥ, which indicates that the King was always associating with liberated 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 16: Praise of King Pṛthu by the Professional Reciters

Reciters describe Pṛthu’s future protection of citizens, service to devotees, and meeting with Sanat-kumāra.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.16
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. dehināmto all living entities having a body
  2. ātma-vatas himself
  3. preṣṭhaḥconsidering dear
  4. suhṛdāmof his friends
  5. nandi-vardhanaḥincreasing pleasures
  6. mukta-saṅgawith persons devoid of all material contamination
  7. prasaṅgaḥintimately associated
  8. ayamthis King
  9. daṇḍa-pāṇiḥa chastising hand
  10. asādhuṣuto the criminals
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 4.16

    In this verse: “king”, “rulers”

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 4.16

    In this verse: “friends”, “friends’”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 4.16

    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 care extend beyond human beings to other embodied living entities?

Practice

Choose a meat-free meal today as one concrete way to practice care for other living beings.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayCare for Every Embodied Living BeingThis 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 4.16.18? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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