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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
4.19.24-254.19.27

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.19.26

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

तदभिज्ञाय भगवान्पृथु: पृथुपराक्रम: ।

इन्द्राय कुपितो बाणमादत्तोद्यतकार्मुक: ॥ २६ ॥

tad abhijñāya bhagavān

pṛthuḥ pṛthu-parākramaḥ

indrāya kupito bāṇam

ādattodyata-kārmukaḥ

Translation

Mahārāja Pṛthu, who was celebrated as very powerful, immediately took up his bow and arrows and prepared to kill Indra himself, because Indra had introduced such irregular sannyāsa orders.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Leadership Should Protect Spiritual Advancement

  1. 1

    Mahārāja Pṛthu took up his bow and arrows against Indra because Indra had introduced irregular orders of sannyāsa.

  2. 2

    The purport identifies Pṛthu as an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It explains that a king’s duty includes opposing irreligious systems.

  3. 3

    Heads of state should be bona fide representatives of God. The purport warns that compromising religious and irreligious systems leaves citizens uninterested in spiritual advancement.

Key points from the purport
  • It is the duty of the king not to tolerate the introduction of any irreligious systems.
  • Following in his footsteps, all heads of state should themselves be bona fide representatives of God and should cut down all irreligious systems.
  • Thus the situation deteriorates to such an extent that human society becomes hellish.

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 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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tatthat
  2. abhijñāyaunderstanding
  3. bhagavānthe incarnation of Godhead
  4. pṛthuḥKing Pṛthu
  5. pṛthu-parākramaḥcelebrated as very powerful
  6. indrāyaupon Indra
  7. kupitaḥbeing very angry
  8. bāṇaman arrow
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”, “duty”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.19

    In this verse: “king’s”, “citizens”

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

In the responsibilities I hold, do I give spiritual advancement genuine importance?

Practice

Make room for one spiritual activity in the part of today’s schedule you are responsible for.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLeadership Should Protect Spiritual AdvancementThis 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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