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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
4.19.84.19.10

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.19.9

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
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

सिन्धवो रत्ननिकरान् गिरयोऽन्नं चतुर्विधम् ।

उपायनमुपाजह्रु: सर्वे लोका: सपालका: ॥ ९ ॥

sindhavo ratna-nikarān

girayo ’nnaṁ catur-vidham

upāyanam upājahruḥ

sarve lokāḥ sa-pālakāḥ

Translation

King Pṛthu was presented with various gifts from the general populace and predominating deities of all planets. The oceans and seas were full of valuable jewels and pearls, and the hills were full of chemicals and fertilizers. Four kinds of edibles were produced profusely.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Prosperity Depends on Pleasing the Lord

  1. 1

    Material creation contains the potencies to provide necessities for all living beings, not only humans. Oceans supply jewels, and hills supply chemicals that fertilize the fields.

  2. 2

    The four kinds of food are carvya, chewed; lehya, licked; cūṣya, swallowed; and peya, drunk. These were produced profusely during Pṛthu’s rule.

  3. 3

    People and planetary rulers honored Pṛthu for planning and acting for everyone’s happiness and prosperity. The purport emphasizes that natural provision depends on pleasing the Personality of Godhead through sacrifice.

Key points from the purport
  • The oceans and seas produce pearls, coral and valuable jewels so that fortunate law-abiding people can utilize them.
  • Similarly, the hills are full of chemicals so that when rivers flow down from them the chemicals spread over the fields to fertilize the four kinds of foodstuffs.
  • In this age so many factories for the manufacture of fertilizers have been opened, but when the Personality of Godhead is pleased by the performance of yajñas, the hills automatically produce fertilizing chemicals, which help produce edibles in the fields.

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
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sindhavaḥthe oceans
  2. ratna-nikarānheaps of jewels
  3. girayaḥthe hills
  4. annameatables
  5. catuḥ-vidhamfour kinds of
  6. upāyanampresentations
  7. upājahruḥbrought forward
  8. sarveall
  9. lokāḥthe people in general of all planets
  10. sa-pālakāḥalong with the governors
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 4.19

    In this verse: “king”, “rulers”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.19

    In this verse: “material”

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

Do I think of prosperity as provision for all living beings, or only for myself?

Practice

At one meal today, reflect on how the earth’s resources provide food for many kinds of living beings.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayProsperity Depends on Pleasing 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.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 4.19.9? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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