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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 22: Pṛthu Mahārāja’s Meeting with the Four Kumāras
4.22.154.22.17

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.22.16

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:King Pṛthusince 4.22.14inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

व्यक्तमात्मवतामात्मा भगवानात्मभावन: ।

स्वानामनुग्रहायेमां सिद्धरूपी चरत्यज: ॥ १६ ॥

vyaktam ātmavatām ātmā

bhagavān ātma-bhāvanaḥ

svānām anugrahāyemāṁ

siddha-rūpī caraty ajaḥ

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always anxious to elevate the living entities, who are His parts and parcels, and for their special benefit the Lord travels all over the world in the form of self-realized persons like you.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Guides Through His Devotees

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead, as Paramātmā, sits within everyone’s heart as a friend. He seeks to elevate each living entity to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

  2. 2

    Devotees represent the Supreme Lord by traveling and teaching His glories. Highly advanced devotees understand the Vedic conclusion and see all living entities as His parts and parcels.

  3. 3

    A spiritual master deserves deep respect as the Lord’s confidential servant and representative. This does not mean that the servant becomes Nārāyaṇa Himself.

Key points from the purport
  • The devotees are representatives of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and to elevate the conditioned souls to their original consciousness, they travel all over the universes to enlighten the conditioned souls about Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
  • But a devotee’s highest position is in preaching all over the world the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • Therefore the devotees are actually the representatives of the Supreme Lord, and as such they travel all over the world directly as Nārāyaṇa because they carry Nārāyaṇa within their hearts and preach His glories.

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 22: Pṛthu Mahārāja’s Meeting with the Four Kumāras

The four Kumāras instruct Pṛthu, who dedicates himself and the fruits of his activities to the Lord.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.22
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. vyaktamclear
  2. ātma-vatāmof the transcendentalists
  3. ātmāthe goal of life
  4. bhagavānthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  5. ātma-bhāvanaḥalways wishing to elevate the living entities
  6. svānāmwhose own devotees
  7. anugrahāyajust to show mercy
  8. imāmthis way
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.22

    In this verse: “devotees”

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 4.22

    In this verse: “friend”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 4.22

    In this verse: “understand”

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 receive the Lord’s guidance through His devotees with greater respect?

Practice

Spend a few minutes hearing or reading a teaching from a devotee who explains the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Guides Through His DevoteesThis 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 4.22.16? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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