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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
4.22.414.22.43

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.22.42

Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protection
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Kingsince 4.22.42inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

राजोवाच

कृतो मेऽनुग्रह: पूर्वं हरिणार्तानुकम्पिना ।

तमापादयितुं ब्रह्मन् भगवन् यूयमागता: ॥ ४२ ॥

rājovāca

kṛto me ’nugrahaḥ pūrvaṁ

hariṇārtānukampinā

tam āpādayituṁ brahman

bhagavan yūyam āgatāḥ

Translation

The King said: O brāhmaṇa, O powerful one, formerly Lord Viṣṇu showed me His causeless mercy, indicating that you would come to my house, and to confirm that blessing, you have all come.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord’s Mercy Comes Through His Devotees

  1. 1

    Pṛthu Mahārāja welcomed the Kumāras as the fulfillment of Lord Viṣṇu’s prediction. Their arrival reminded him of the Lord’s causeless mercy.

  2. 2

    The Lord makes promises for the benefit of suffering humanity, and His confidential devotees carry them out. He remains concerned for living beings even when they neglect His service.

  3. 3

    Out of compassion, the Lord comes Himself or sends His devotees to bring fallen souls back home, back to Godhead. We should seriously use the instructions of Bhagavad-gītā as taught without alteration by His pure devotees.

Key points from the purport
  • When Lord Viṣṇu appeared in the great arena of sacrifice at the time when King Pṛthu was performing a great sacrifice (aśvamedha), He predicted that the Kumāras would very soon come and advise the King.
  • The conclusion is that the Lord is so compassionate upon the fallen souls within this material world that He comes Himself or sends His devotees and His servants to fulfill His desire to have all the fallen souls come back home, back to Godhead.
  • Thus Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa instructed Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna for the benefit of the entire human society.

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 4.22.42 quotesBG 9.31

Regarding His devotees, Lord Kṛṣṇa told Arjuna, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati: “O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee will never perish.”

The purport of SB 4.22.42 quotesBG 4.7

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion — at that time I descend Myself.”

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. rājā uvācathe King said
  2. kṛtaḥdone
  3. meunto me
  4. anugrahaḥcauseless mercy
  5. pūrvamformerly
  6. hariṇāby the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu
  7. ārta-anukampinācompassionate for persons in distress
  8. tamthat
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

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 4.22

    In this verse: “mercy”, “causeless”, “blessing”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 4.22

    In this verse: “compassion”, “suffering”

  • 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.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I respond more gratefully to the Lord’s compassion and His devotees’ guidance?

Practice

Read one instruction from Bhagavad-gītā today and choose one small way to follow it.

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.

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

Live this todayThe Lord’s Mercy Comes 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 4.22.42? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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