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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 19: King Pṛthu’s One Hundred Horse Sacrifices
4.19.114.19.13

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.19.12

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.19.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

तमत्रिर्भगवानैक्षत्त्वरमाणं विहायसा ।

आमुक्तमिव पाखण्डं योऽधर्मे धर्मविभ्रम: ॥ १२ ॥

tam atrir bhagavān aikṣat

tvaramāṇaṁ vihāyasā

āmuktam iva pākhaṇḍaṁ

yo ’dharme dharma-vibhramaḥ

Translation

When King Indra was taking away the horse, he dressed himself to appear as a liberated person. Actually this dress was a form of cheating, for it falsely created an impression of religion. When Indra went into outer space in this way, the great sage Atri saw him and understood the whole situation.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

True Renunciation Means Serving the Lord

  1. 1

    Indra’s religious dress falsely suggested that he was liberated. The purport calls someone who appears religious while acting sinfully a pākhaṇḍa or pāṣaṇḍa.

  2. 2

    A genuine sannyāsī renounces worldly affairs and engages in the Lord’s service. One who offers the results of work to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is truly a sannyāsī and yogī.

  3. 3

    The order of sannyāsa requires sincerity, seriousness, and advanced spiritual understanding. It should never be adopted for livelihood, material gain, or cheating the public.

Key points from the purport
  • As we have mentioned many times, the conditioned soul has a tendency to cheat; therefore this quality is also visible in a person like King Indra.
  • Such a devotee is actually a sannyāsī, or liberated person.
  • This cheating was very foolishly introduced by King Indra.

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· 2

The purport of SB 4.19.12 quotesBG 6.1

In Bhagavad-gītā (6.1) it is said: “One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is in the renounced order of life, and he is the true mystic, not he who lights no fire and performs no work.”

The purport of SB 4.19.12 quotesCC Madhya 12.51

It is the duty of a sannyāsī to be very cautious because, as stated by Lord Caitanya, sannyāsīra alpa chidra sarva-loke gāya: “A little spot in a sannyāsī’s character will be magnified by the public.”

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 19: King Pṛthu’s One Hundred Horse Sacrifices

Indra repeatedly takes the sacrificial horse, and Brahmā restrains Pṛthu’s anger.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.19
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tamKing Indra
  2. atriḥthe sage Atri
  3. bhagavānmost powerful
  4. aikṣatcould see
  5. tvaramāṇammoving very hastily
  6. vihāyasāin outer space
  7. āmuktam ivalike a liberated person
  8. pākhaṇḍamimposter
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

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 4.19

    In this verse: “religion”, “religious”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.19

    In this verse: “king”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 4.19

    In this verse: “renounces”

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

Am I more concerned with appearing spiritual or sincerely serving the Lord?

Practice

Choose one duty today and consciously offer its result to the Supreme Personality of Godhead rather than seeking praise.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayTrue Renunciation Means Serving the LordThis 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.

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