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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.
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Canto 4 · Chapter 19: King Pṛthu’s One Hundred Horse Sacrifices
4.19.134.19.15

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.19.14

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
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

तं ताद‍ृशाकृतिं वीक्ष्य मेने धर्मं शरीरिणम् ।

जटिलं भस्मनाच्छन्नं तस्मै बाणं न मुञ्चति ॥ १४ ॥

taṁ tādṛśākṛtiṁ vīkṣya

mene dharmaṁ śarīriṇam

jaṭilaṁ bhasmanācchannaṁ

tasmai bāṇaṁ na muñcati

Translation

King Indra was fraudulently dressed as a sannyāsī, having knotted his hair on his head and smeared ashes all over his body. Upon seeing such dress, the son of King Pṛthu considered Indra a religious man and pious sannyāsī. Therefore he did not release his arrows.

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.

Religious Appearance Can Conceal Deception

  1. 1

    Indra fraudulently dressed as a sannyāsī, with knotted hair and ashes smeared over his body.

  2. 2

    Seeing this appearance, Pṛthu’s son considered him a religious man and a pious sannyāsī.

  3. 3

    Because of this judgment, Pṛthu’s son did not release his arrows. Indra’s disguise concealed his deception.

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. tamhim
  2. tādṛśa-ākṛtimin such dress
  3. vīkṣyaafter seeing
  4. meneconsidered
  5. dharmampious or religious
  6. śarīriṇamhaving a body
  7. jaṭilamhaving knotted hair
  8. bhasmanāby ashes
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

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

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

    In this verse: “religious”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.19

    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 much do outward signs influence my judgment of someone’s spiritual character?

Practice

Reflect on one spiritual impression you have formed, and distinguish what you actually know from what appearance alone suggests.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayReligious Appearance Can Conceal DeceptionThis 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 4.19.14? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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