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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
4.22.164.22.18

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.22.17

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.22.17inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

मैत्रेय उवाच

पृथोस्तत्सूक्तमाकर्ण्य सारं सुष्ठु मितं मधु ।

स्मयमान इव प्रीत्या कुमार: प्रत्युवाच ह ॥ १७ ॥

maitreya uvāca

pṛthos tat sūktam ākarṇya

sāraṁ suṣṭhu mitaṁ madhu

smayamāna iva prītyā

kumāraḥ pratyuvāca ha

Translation

The great sage Maitreya continued: Thus Sanat-kumāra, the best of the celibates, after hearing the speech of Pṛthu Mahārāja, which was meaningful, appropriate, full of precise words and very sweet to hear, smiled with full satisfaction and began to speak as follows.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotion Brings Good Qualities to Speech

  1. 1

    Meaningful speech uses carefully selected words that are sweet to hear and appropriate to the situation. Pṛthu Mahārāja’s speech had all these qualities.

  2. 2

    These qualities were present because Pṛthu Mahārāja was a perfect devotee. All good qualities manifest in one with unflinching faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead who engages in His service.

  3. 3

    The Kumāras were very pleased by Pṛthu Mahārāja’s words. Sanat-kumāra smiled with satisfaction and began to reply.

Key points from the purport
  • Pṛthu Mahārāja’s talks before the Kumāras were very laudable because of so many qualifications.
  • A speech should be composed of selected words, very sweet to hear, and appropriate to the situation.
  • All these good qualifications are present in Pṛthu Mahārāja’s speech because he is a perfect devotee.

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· 1

The purport of SB 4.22.17 quotesSB 5.18.12

It is said, yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ: “For one who has unflinching devotional faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is engaged in His service, all good qualities become manifest in his person.”

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 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
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. maitreyaḥ uvācathe great sage Maitreya continued to speak
  2. pṛthoḥof King Pṛthu
  3. tatthat
  4. sūktamVedic conclusion
  5. ākarṇyahearing
  6. sāramvery substantial
  7. suṣṭhuappropriate
  8. mitamminimized
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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 4.22

    In this verse: “hearing”

  • Prema · Transcendental love

    The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 4.22

    In this verse: “sweet”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotee”

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

Are my words meaningful, gentle to hear, and suitable for the situation?

Practice

Before one conversation today, pause and choose words that are clear, kind, and appropriate.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 5.18.12

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 4.22's connections

Live this todayDevotion Brings Good Qualities to SpeechThis 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 4.22.17? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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