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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 21: Instructions by Mahārāja Pṛthu
4.21.344.21.36

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.21.35

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:King Pṛthusince 4.21.25inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

प्रधानकालाशयधर्मसङ्ग्रहे

शरीर एष प्रतिपद्य चेतनाम् ।

क्रियाफलत्वेन विभुर्विभाव्यते

यथानलो दारुषु तद्गुणात्मक: ॥ ३५ ॥

pradhāna-kālāśaya-dharma-saṅgrahe

śarīra eṣa pratipadya cetanām

kriyā-phalatvena vibhur vibhāvyate

yathānalo dāruṣu tad-guṇātmakaḥ

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-pervading, but He is also manifested in different types of bodies which arise from a combination of material nature, time, desires and occupational duties. Thus different types of consciousness develop, just as fire, which is always basically the same, blazes in different ways according to the shape and dimension of firewood.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Develop Consciousness Through Spiritual Association

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead lives with every individual soul as Paramātmā. Awareness differs according to the material body, just as the same fire appears differently according to the wood it burns.

  2. 2

    Human life offers the opportunity to develop consciousness through spiritually advanced association. The purport says that approaching a spiritual master is necessary, not optional, for understanding our true spiritual position.

  3. 3

    Bhakti-yoga is the highest step in realizing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The saṅkīrtana movement is the direct and easiest process for reaching pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Key points from the purport
  • It is imperative that one approach the spiritual master, for by such association one proportionately develops his consciousness toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • According to the body given by prakṛti, or nature, one’s consciousness is present; according to the development of consciousness, one’s activities are performed; and according to the purity of such activities, one realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present in everyone’s heart.
  • Therefore the saṅkīrtana movement contributed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Lord Caitanya is the direct and easiest process for coming to the purest form of consciousness — Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the platform on which the Supreme Personality is fully realized.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 2

The purport of SB 4.21.35 quotesBG 4.11

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is realized according to the proportion of one’s surrender: ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham.

The purport of SB 4.21.35 quotesBG 7.19

Full surrender, however, occurs when a man is perfectly in knowledge: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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 21: Instructions by Mahārāja Pṛthu

Pṛthu addresses an assembly about devotional service and respect for brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.21
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. pradhānamaterial nature
  2. kālatime
  3. āśayadesire
  4. dharmaoccupational duties
  5. saṅgraheaggregate
  6. śarīrebody
  7. eṣaḥthis
  8. pratipadyaaccepting
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 4.21

    In this verse: “duties”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.21

    In this verse: “material”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.21

    In this verse: “bhakti-yoga”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How is my present association helping me develop consciousness of the Supreme Lord?

Practice

Set aside a few minutes today to hear instruction from a spiritual master on devotional service.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevelop Consciousness Through Spiritual AssociationThis 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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