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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
4.18.264.18.28

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.18.27

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
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

एवं पृथ्वादय: पृथ्वीमन्नादा: स्वन्नमात्मन: ।

दोहवत्सादिभेदेन क्षीरभेदं कुरूद्वह ॥ २७ ॥

evaṁ pṛthv-ādayaḥ pṛthvīm

annādāḥ svannam ātmanaḥ

doha-vatsādi-bhedena

kṣīra-bhedaṁ kurūdvaha

Translation

My dear Vidura, chief of the Kurus, in this way King Pṛthu and all the others who subsist on food created different types of calves and milked out their respective eatables. Thus they received their various foodstuffs, which were symbolized as milk.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Various Foods Are Symbolized as Milk

  1. 1

    King Pṛthu and the others who subsist on food milked the earth for their respective eatables.

  2. 2

    They created different kinds of calves to obtain their food. The arrangements differed among those receiving it.

  3. 3

    The various foodstuffs they received are symbolized as milk. Here, milk refers to more than a single kind of food.

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
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. evamthus
  2. pṛthu-ādayaḥKing Pṛthu and others
  3. pṛthvīmthe earth
  4. anna-adāḥall living entities desiring food
  5. su-annamtheir desired foodstuff
  6. ātmanaḥfor self-preservation
  7. dohafor milking
  8. vatsa-ādiby calves, pots and milkers
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.18

    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 understanding milk as a symbol help me read this account more clearly?

Practice

Reread the translation and identify what the word milk represents.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayVarious Foods Are Symbolized as MilkThis 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 4.18.27? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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