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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.22.37

Who is speaking and story frame

तत्त्वं नरेन्द्र जगतामथ तस्थूषां च

देहेन्द्रियासुधिषणात्मभिरावृतानाम् ।

य: क्षेत्रवित्तपतया हृदि विश्वगावि:

प्रत्यक् चकास्ति भगवांस्तमवेहि सोऽस्मि ॥ ३७ ॥

tat tvaṁ narendra jagatām atha tasthūṣāṁ ca

dehendriyāsu-dhiṣaṇātmabhir āvṛtānām

yaḥ kṣetravit-tapatayā hṛdi viśvag āviḥ

pratyak cakāsti bhagavāṁs tam avehi so ’smi

Translation

Sanat-kumāra advised the King: Therefore, my dear King Pṛthu, try to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is living within everyone’s heart along with the individual soul, in each and every body, either moving or not moving. The individual souls are fully covered by the gross material body and subtle body made of the life air and intelligence.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Understand the Lord Within the Heart

  1. 1

    The individual soul and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His Paramātmā feature, both dwell within the body. Human life is meant for understanding them and their relationship, not merely pursuing economic development and sense gratification.

  2. 2

    The Lord and the individual soul are both spirit and share the same spiritual quality. Yet the Lord is the supreme predominator, and our duty as dependent living entities is to serve Him.

  3. 3

    The Supersoul directs us from within the heart and also through the spiritual master outside. Following His direction makes life successful, and even an unfinished attempt at devotional service brings no loss.

Key points from the purport
  • In this verse it is specifically advised that instead of wasting time in the human form of life endeavoring for economic development and sense gratification, one should try to cultivate spiritual values by understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is existing with the individual soul within everyone’s heart.
  • The individual soul and the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Paramātmā feature are both sitting within this body, which is covered by gross and subtle elements.
  • In conclusion, one should not waste his time by so-called economic development and sense gratification, but should cultivate spiritual knowledge to understand the Supersoul and the individual soul and their relationship.

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 4.22.37 quotesBG 13.2

This word is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (13.2): idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate.

The purport of SB 4.22.37 quotesSB 1.5.17

ko vārtha āpto ’bhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ. If a person, out of sentiment or for some other reason, takes to the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord and in due course of time does not succeed in coming to the ultimate goal of life or falls down due to lack of experience, there is no loss.

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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tattherefore
  2. tvamyou
  3. nara-indraO best of kings
  4. jagatāmof the moving
  5. athatherefore
  6. tasthūṣāmthe immovable
  7. caalso
  8. dehabody
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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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.22

    In this verse: “material”, “sense gratification”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “understand”, “understanding”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.22

    In this verse: “king”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How much of my day do I give to understanding the Lord and my relationship with Him?

Practice

Spend five minutes studying this purport, then write one sentence explaining why the soul's duty is to serve the Lord.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

Quoted in 1 lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 1 lecture

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayUnderstand the Lord Within the HeartThis 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 4.22.37? Get an answer from the verses themselves.