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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
4.2.84.2.10

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.2.9

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

श्रूयतां ब्रह्मर्षयो मे सहदेवा: सहाग्नय: ।

साधूनां ब्रुवतो वृत्तं नाज्ञानान्न च मत्सरात् ॥ ९ ॥

śrūyatāṁ brahmarṣayo me

saha-devāḥ sahāgnayaḥ

sādhūnāṁ bruvato vṛttaṁ

nājñānān na ca matsarāt

Translation

All sages, brāhmaṇas and fire-gods present, please hear me with attention, for I speak about the manners of gentle persons. I do not speak out of ignorance or envy.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Envy Can Hide Behind Polite Claims

  1. 1

    Dakṣa presented his speech as a discussion of gentle manners, hoping to pacify the assembly.

  2. 2

    He knew he was speaking against Lord Śiva despite Śiva’s spotless character. The assembly did not want even unmannerly people to be offended.

  3. 3

    Dakṣa was envious from the beginning but could not recognize his own envy. He tried to cover his ignorant speech by claiming that he spoke without ignorance or envy.

Key points from the purport
  • In speaking against Lord Śiva, Dakṣa tried to pacify the assembly by presenting in a very tactful way that he was going to speak about the manners of gentle persons, although naturally this might affect some unmannerly upstarts and the assembly might be unhappy because they did not want even unmannerly persons to be offended.
  • As far as envy is concerned, from the very beginning he was envious of Lord Śiva; therefore he could not distinguish his own particular envy.
  • Although he spoke like a man in ignorance, he wanted to cover his statements by saying that he was not speaking for impudent and envious reasons.

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. śrūyatāmhear
  2. brahma-ṛṣayaḥO sages among the brāhmaṇas
  3. meunto me
  4. saha-devāḥO demigods
  5. saha-agnayaḥO fire-gods
  6. sādhūnāmof the gentle
  7. bruvataḥspeaking
  8. vṛttamthe manners
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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

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 4.2

    In this verse: “offended”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

When I criticize someone, could envy be shaping words I consider reasonable?

Practice

Before making one criticism today, quietly check whether envy is influencing it.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayEnvy Can Hide Behind Polite ClaimsThis 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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