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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 18: Pṛthu Mahārāja Milks the Earth Planet
4.18.154.18.17

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.18.16

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.18.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

दैतेया दानवा वत्सं प्रह्लादमसुरर्षभम् ।

विधायादूदुहन् क्षीरमय:पात्रे सुरासवम् ॥ १६ ॥

daiteyā dānavā vatsaṁ

prahlādam asurarṣabham

vidhāyādūduhan kṣīram

ayaḥ-pātre surāsavam

Translation

The sons of Diti and the demons transformed Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was born in an asura family, into a calf, and they extracted various kinds of liquor and beer, which they put into a pot made of iron.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Liquor Is Distinguished From Heavenly Nectar

  1. 1

    The sons of Diti and the demons made Prahlāda Mahārāja into a calf and extracted liquor and beer into an iron pot.

  2. 2

    Although Prahlāda Mahārāja was born in a family of demons, the purport emphasizes his mercy. By his mercy, the demons were able to obtain their drinks.

  3. 3

    The purport associates addiction to liquor and beer with demoniac nature. Their iron vessel contrasts with the golden vessel used for the superior soma-rasa.

Key points from the purport
  • The demons born of Diti take great pleasure in drinking wine and beer.
  • Because Prahlāda Mahārāja was born in a family of demons, as the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, by his mercy the demons were and still are able to have their drinks in the form of wine and beer.
  • Because the liquor and beer are inferior, they are placed in an iron pot, and because soma-rasa is superior, it is placed in a golden pot.

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 18: Pṛthu Mahārāja Milks the Earth Planet

Pṛthu and others milk the earth; he provides citizens with food, employment, and places to live.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.18
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. daiteyāḥthe sons of Diti
  2. dānavāḥdemons
  3. vatsamthe calf
  4. prahlādamPrahlāda Mahārāja
  5. asurademon
  6. ṛṣabhamthe chief
  7. vidhāyamaking
  8. adūduhanthey milked out
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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

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 4.18

    In this verse: “mercy”

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 this description invite me to reconsider attraction to intoxicating drinks?

Practice

Choose a nonintoxicating drink today rather than liquor or beer.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 4.18's connections

Live this todayLiquor Is Distinguished From Heavenly NectarThis 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 4.18.16? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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