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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
4.2.204.2.22

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.2.21

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.2.19inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

य एतन्मर्त्यमुद्दिश्य भगवत्यप्रतिद्रुहि ।

द्रुह्यत्यज्ञ: पृथग्दृष्टिस्तत्त्वतो विमुखो भवेत् ॥ २१ ॥

ya etan martyam uddiśya

bhagavaty apratidruhi

druhyaty ajñaḥ pṛthag-dṛṣṭis

tattvato vimukho bhavet

Translation

Anyone who has accepted Dakṣa as the most important personality and neglected Lord Śiva because of envy is less intelligent and, because of visualizing in duality, will be bereft of transcendental knowledge.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Bodily Attachment Obscures Spiritual Knowledge

  1. 1

    Nandīśvara’s first curse declared that supporting Dakṣa’s envious position would deprive one of transcendental knowledge.

  2. 2

    Nandīśvara described Dakṣa as identifying with the body and seeking bodily facilities. His excessive attachment extended to wife, children and home, which are different from the soul.

  3. 3

    The curse concerned loss of knowledge both of the soul and of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bodily identification was at the root of this spiritual loss.

Key points from the purport
  • The first curse by Nandīśvara was that anyone supporting Dakṣa was foolishly identifying himself with the body, and therefore, because Dakṣa had no transcendental knowledge, supporting him would deprive one of transcendental knowledge.
  • Dakṣa, Nandīśvara said, identified himself with the body like other materialistic persons and was trying to derive all kinds of facilities in relationship with the body.
  • Therefore Nandīśvara’s curse was that anyone who supported Dakṣa would be bereft of transcendental knowledge of the soul and thus also be deprived of knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yaḥwho (Dakṣa)
  2. etat martyamthis body
  3. uddiśyawith reference to
  4. bhagavatito Śiva
  5. apratidruhiwho is not envious
  6. druhyatibears envy
  7. ajñaḥless intelligent persons
  8. pṛthak-dṛṣṭiḥthe vision of duality
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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 4.2

    In this verse: “knowledge”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.2

    In this verse: “attachment”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

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

    In this verse: “children”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which bodily attachment most strongly shapes my sense of who I am?

Practice

Take one minute today to reflect that your body, home and family relationships are different from the soul.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayBodily Attachment Obscures Spiritual KnowledgeThis 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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