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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
4.21.444.21.46

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.21.45

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.21.45inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

मैत्रेय उवाच

इति ब्रुवाणं नृपतिं पितृदेवद्विजातय: ।

तुष्टुवुर्हृष्टमनस: साधुवादेन साधव: ॥ ४५ ॥

maitreya uvāca

iti bruvāṇaṁ nṛpatiṁ

pitṛ-deva-dvijātayaḥ

tuṣṭuvur hṛṣṭa-manasaḥ

sādhu-vādena sādhavaḥ

Translation

The great sage Maitreya said: After hearing King Pṛthu speak so nicely, all the demigods, the denizens of Pitṛloka, the brāhmaṇas and the saintly persons present at the meeting congratulated him by expressing their good will.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Express Good Will for a Good Mission

  1. 1

    The demigods, denizens of Pitṛloka, brāhmaṇas and saintly persons heard Pṛthu Mahārāja speak and congratulated him.

  2. 2

    Expressing approval with the words sādhu, sādhu is called sādhu-vāda. The audience used these words to express their good will.

  3. 3

    Those assembled accepted Pṛthu Mahārāja’s good mission. His words left them fully satisfied.

Key points from the purport
  • When a person speaks very nicely at a meeting, he is congratulated by the audience, who express their good will with the words sādhu, sādhu.
  • All the saintly persons, Pitās (denizens of Pitṛloka) and demigods who were present at the meeting and heard Pṛthu Mahārāja expressed their good will with the words sādhu, sādhu.
  • They all accepted the good mission of Pṛthu Mahārāja, and they were fully satisfied.

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 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. maitreyaḥ uvācathe great sage Maitreya continued to speak
  2. itithus
  3. bruvāṇamwhile speaking
  4. nṛ-patimthe King
  5. pitṛthe denizens of Pitṛloka
  6. devathe demigods
  7. dvi-jātayaḥand the twice-born (the brāhmaṇas and the Vaiṣṇavas)
  8. tuṣṭuvuḥsatisfied
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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 4.21

    In this verse: “hearing”, “heard”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.21

    In this verse: “king”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Do I express sincere appreciation when I hear words that support a good mission?

Practice

Offer one sincere word of appreciation to someone whose helpful words you have heard.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayExpress Good Will for a Good MissionThis 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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