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

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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 20: Lord Viṣṇu’s Appearance in the Sacrificial Arena of Mahārāja Pṛthu
4.20.254.20.27

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.20.26

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.20.17inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

यश: शिवं सुश्रव आर्यसङ्गमे

यद‍ृच्छया चोपश‍ृणोति ते सकृत् ।

कथं गुणज्ञो विरमेद्विना पशुं

श्रीर्यत्प्रवव्रे गुणसङ्ग्रहेच्छया ॥ २६ ॥

yaśaḥ śivaṁ suśrava ārya-saṅgame

yadṛcchayā copaśṛṇoti te sakṛt

kathaṁ guṇa-jño viramed vinā paśuṁ

śrīr yat pravavre guṇa-saṅgrahecchayā

Translation

My dear highly glorified Lord, if one, in the association of pure devotees, hears even once the glories of Your activities, he does not, unless he is nothing but an animal, give up the association of devotees, for no intelligent person would be so careless as to leave their association. The perfection of chanting and hearing about Your glories was accepted even by the goddess of fortune, who desired to hear of Your unlimited activities and transcendental glories.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Treasure Devotee Association and Chanting

  1. 1

    Association with devotees who are advancing spiritually is most important. Hearing the Lord’s glories in their company is an opportunity to cherish, not carelessly abandon.

  2. 2

    The Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra has great influence over everyone. Simply hearing it from pure devotees can awaken attraction to devotional life, regardless of one’s background.

  3. 3

    Even Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, desired to hear the Lord’s glories. Pṛthu Mahārāja emphasizes that an intelligent person continues chanting rather than abandoning it for impersonal liberation.

Key points from the purport
  • Others who are associating with them and hearing the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra from the lips of pure devotees are also becoming captivated by the transcendental vibration.
  • Pṛthu Mahārāja is very emphatic in this connection — only an animal can give up the practice of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
  • Those who are not animals but actually intelligent, advanced, human, civilized men cannot give up this practice of continually chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

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 20: Lord Viṣṇu’s Appearance in the Sacrificial Arena of Mahārāja Pṛthu

Lord Viṣṇu appears with Indra, instructs Pṛthu, and receives his worship and devotional prayers.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.20
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yaśaḥglorification
  2. śivamall-auspicious
  3. su-śravaḥO highly glorified Lord
  4. ārya-saṅgamein the association of advanced devotees
  5. yadṛcchayāsomehow or other
  6. caalso
  7. upaśṛṇotihears
  8. teYour
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 4.20

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”, “glorified”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.20

    In this verse: “devotees”, “devotional”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 4.20

    In this verse: “give up”

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

How can I give hearing and chanting with devotees a steadier place in my life?

Practice

Join devotees today, in person or through a recording, and attentively chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 4.20's connections

Live this todayTreasure Devotee Association and ChantingThis 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 4.20.26? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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