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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 2: Dakṣa Curses Lord Śiva
4.2.14-154.2.17

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.2.16

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.2.4inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

तस्मा उन्मादनाथाय नष्टशौचाय दुर्हृदे ।

दत्ता बत मया साध्वी चोदिते परमेष्ठिना ॥ १६ ॥

tasmā unmāda-nāthāya

naṣṭa-śaucāya durhṛde

dattā bata mayā sādhvī

codite parameṣṭhinā

Translation

On the request of Lord Brahmā I handed over my chaste daughter to him, although he is devoid of all cleanliness and his heart is filled with nasty things.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Anger Makes Us Forget Respect

  1. 1

    The purport describes parents’ responsibility to seek a suitable marriage for their daughters, considering cleanliness, gentle behavior and family circumstances.

  2. 2

    Dakṣa regretted following Brahmā’s request because, according to his own calculation, Śiva was unsuitable.

  3. 3

    In gross anger, Dakṣa would not even acknowledge Brahmā as his father. He criticized both Lord Śiva and his own father, showing how anger makes one forget everything.

Key points from the purport
  • It is the duty of parents to hand over their daughters to suitable persons just befitting their family tradition in cleanliness, gentle behavior, wealth, social position, etc. Dakṣa was repentant that on the request of Brahmā, who was his father, he had handed over his daughter to a person who, according to his calculation, was nasty.
  • In other words, he accused even Brahmā of being less intelligent because he had advised Dakṣa to hand over his beautiful daughter to such a nasty fellow.
  • In anger one forgets everything, and thus Dakṣa, in anger, not only accused the great Lord Śiva, but criticized his own father, Lord Brahmā, for his not very astute advice that Dakṣa hand over his daughter to Lord Śiva.

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

Humiliation and anger → Reconciliation. Relational offense leads to grief and destruction before restoration.

Chapters 1–7 of Canto 4: Dakṣa, Satī and Śiva. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 2: Dakṣa Curses Lord Śiva

Dakṣa insults and curses Lord Śiva at a great sacrificial assembly.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.2
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tasmaito him
  2. unmāda-nāthāyato the lord of ghosts
  3. naṣṭa-śaucāyabeing devoid of all cleanliness
  4. durhṛdeheart filled with nasty things
  5. dattāwas given
  6. bataalas
  7. mayāby me
  8. sādhvīSatī
  9. coditebeing requested
  10. parameṣṭhināby the supreme teacher (Brahmā)
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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

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 4.2

    In this verse: “father”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Has anger ever made me forget someone’s kindness or position in my life?

Practice

Before voicing a complaint today, pause and recall one reason to treat the other person respectfully.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayAnger Makes Us Forget RespectThis 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 4.2.16? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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