1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 4 · The Creation of the Fourth Order · 31 chapters

12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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
4.2.234.2.25

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.2.24

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

विद्याबुद्धिरविद्यायां कर्ममय्यामसौ जड: ।

संसरन्त्विह ये चामुमनु शर्वावमानिनम् ॥ २४ ॥

vidyā-buddhir avidyāyāṁ

karmamayyām asau jaḍaḥ

saṁsarantv iha ye cāmum

anu śarvāvamāninam

Translation

Those who have become as dull as matter by cultivating materialistic education and intelligence are nesciently involved in fruitive activities. Such men have purposely insulted Lord Śiva. May they continue in the cycle of repeated birth and death.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Material Learning Cannot Replace Spiritual Knowledge

  1. 1

    Materialistic education and intelligence can leave a person as dull as matter and involved in fruitive activities. Such learning does not supply spiritual knowledge.

  2. 2

    The purport describes the curses as leaving one dull as stone, void of spiritual knowledge and preoccupied with materialistic education.

  3. 3

    Nandīśvara cursed the brāhmaṇas to remain in repeated birth and death because they supported Dakṣa in blaspheming Lord Śiva.

Key points from the purport
  • The three curses mentioned above are sufficient to make one as dull as stone, void of spiritual knowledge and preoccupied with materialistic education, which is nescience.
  • After uttering these curses, Nandīśvara then cursed the brāhmaṇas to continue in the cycle of birth and death because of their supporting Dakṣa in blaspheming 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
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. vidyā-buddhiḥmaterialistic education and intelligence
  2. avidyāyāmin nescience
  3. karma-mayyāmformed of fruitive activities
  4. asauhe (Dakṣa)
  5. jaḍaḥdull
  6. saṁsarantulet them take birth again and again
  7. ihahere in this world
  8. yewho
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “materialistic”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 4.2

    In this verse: “death”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Does my learning nourish spiritual understanding, or only material pursuits?

Practice

Spend five minutes reviewing this verse's warning about learning without spiritual knowledge.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayMaterial Learning Cannot Replace 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.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 4.2.24? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories