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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
4.20.334.20.35-36

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.20.34

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.20.34inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

मैत्रेय उवाच

इति वैन्यस्य राजर्षे: प्रतिनन्द्यार्थवद्वच: ।

पूजितोऽनुगृहीत्वैनं गन्तुं चक्रेऽच्युतो मतिम् ॥ ३४ ॥

maitreya uvāca

iti vainyasya rājarṣeḥ

pratinandyārthavad vacaḥ

pūjito ’nugṛhītvainaṁ

gantuṁ cakre ’cyuto matim

Translation

The great saint Maitreya told Vidura: The Supreme Personality of Godhead amply appreciated the meaningful prayers of Mahārāja Pṛthu. Thus, after being properly worshiped by the King, the Lord blessed him and decided to depart.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Pray for Service Birth After Birth

  1. 1

    The Lord appreciated Pṛthu Mahārāja’s meaningful prayers and refusal of material benedictions. A devotee asks for the favor of serving the Lord’s lotus feet birth after birth.

  2. 2

    The Lord appears to establish devotional service, and His confidential devotees appear to spread it. Their births are transcendental, not accompanied by the miserable conditions of material birth.

  3. 3

    The Lord is acyuta, or infallible, and never becomes a conditioned soul. He appears by His internal potency and remains uncontaminated by material nature.

Key points from the purport
  • When a devotee prays to the Lord, it is not to ask for material benefits but to ask the Lord for His favor; he prays that he may be engaged in the service of the Lord’s lotus feet birth after birth.
  • The Lord and the devotee appear in this material world birth after birth, but such births are transcendental.
  • The Lord, being infallible, is not forced by material nature to take birth in this material world.

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
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. maitreyaḥ uvācathe great sage Maitreya continued to speak
  2. itithus
  3. vainyasyaof the son of King Vena (Pṛthu Mahārāja)
  4. rāja-ṛṣeḥof the saintly King
  5. pratinandyaappreciating
  6. artha-vat vacaḥthe prayers, which were full of meaning
  7. pūjitaḥbeing worshiped
  8. anugṛhītvāsufficiently benedicting
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “worshiped”, “devotional service”, “devotee”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 4.20

    In this verse: “blessed”, “favor”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.20

    In this verse: “king”

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

What would change in my prayers if service mattered more to me than receiving benefits?

Practice

Pray once today for the opportunity to remain in the Lord’s service birth after birth.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayPray for Service Birth After BirthThis 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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