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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 20: Lord Viṣṇu’s Appearance in the Sacrificial Arena of Mahārāja Pṛthu
4.20.35-364.20.38

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.20.37

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

भगवानपि राजर्षे: सोपाध्यायस्य चाच्युत: ।

हरन्निव मनोऽमुष्य स्वधाम प्रत्यपद्यत ॥ ३७ ॥

bhagavān api rājarṣeḥ

sopādhyāyasya cācyutaḥ

harann iva mano ’muṣya

sva-dhāma pratyapadyata

Translation

The infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead, having captivated the minds of the King and the priests who were present, returned to His abode in the spiritual sky.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa Is All-Attractive and Infallible

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is entirely spiritual and descends without changing His body. He is therefore called acyuta, or infallible.

  2. 2

    The living entity falls from his real engagement in the Lord’s service and accepts a material body. Unlike the Lord, he then suffers or tries to enjoy under material conditions.

  3. 3

    The Lord captivated both the King and the priests attached to Vedic rituals. He is called Kṛṣṇa because He attracts everyone; Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who appeared there, is His plenary expansion.

Key points from the purport
  • Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-spiritual, He can descend from the spiritual sky without changing His body, and thus He is known as acyuta, or infallible.
  • When a living entity falls down to the material world, however, he has to accept a material body, and therefore, in his material embodiment, he cannot be called acyuta.
  • Therefore the fallen living entity is cyuta, whereas the Lord is called acyuta.

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. bhagavānthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  2. apialso
  3. rāja-ṛṣeḥof the saintly King
  4. sa-upādhyāyasyaalong with all the priests
  5. caalso
  6. acyutaḥthe infallible Lord
  7. harancaptivating
  8. ivaindeed
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.20

    In this verse: “king”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.20

    In this verse: “attached”, “material”

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 helps turn my attention toward the all-attractive Lord and my real engagement in His service?

Practice

Spend a quiet minute remembering that Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive and that your real occupation is His service.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Is All-Attractive and InfallibleThis 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 4.20.37? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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