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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 23: Mahārāja Pṛthu’s Going Back Home
4.23.114.23.13

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.23.12

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.22.48inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

छिन्नान्यधीरधिगतात्मगतिर्निरीह-

स्तत्तत्यजेऽच्छिनदिदं वयुनेन येन ।

तावन्न योगगतिभिर्यतिरप्रमत्तो

यावद्गदाग्रजकथासु रतिं न कुर्यात् ॥ १२ ॥

chinnānya-dhīr adhigatātma-gatir nirīhas

tat tatyaje ’cchinad idaṁ vayunena yena

tāvan na yoga-gatibhir yatir apramatto

yāvad gadāgraja-kathāsu ratiṁ na kuryāt

Translation

When he became completely free from the conception of bodily life, Mahārāja Pṛthu realized Lord Kṛṣṇa sitting in everyone’s heart as the Paramātmā. Being thus able to get all instructions from Him, he gave up all other practices of yoga and jñāna. He was not even interested in the perfection of the yoga and jñāna systems, for he thoroughly realized that devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate goal of life and that unless the yogīs and jñānīs become attracted to kṛṣṇa-kathā [narrations about Kṛṣṇa], their illusions concerning existence can never be dispelled.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service to Kṛṣṇa Is Life’s Goal

  1. 1

    Free from the bodily conception of life, Mahārāja Pṛthu realized Kṛṣṇa as the Paramātmā in everyone’s heart and received instructions from Him. Understanding Kṛṣṇa as the goal also leads one to help others interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

  2. 2

    The perfection of life depends on one’s inclination to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Without attraction to His pastimes and activities, yoga practice and speculative knowledge cannot dispel illusion.

  3. 3

    Real knowledge means understanding that the living entity is the Lord’s eternal servant. Firmly realizing devotional service to Kṛṣṇa as the supreme goal, Pṛthu abandoned other methods of self-realization.

Key points from the purport
  • As long as one is too much absorbed in the bodily conception of life, he becomes interested in many different processes of self-realization, such as the mystic yoga system or the system utilizing the speculative empiric methods.
  • However, when one understands that the ultimate goal of life is to approach Kṛṣṇa, he realizes Kṛṣṇa within everyone’s heart and therefore helps everyone who is interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
  • In other words, when one firmly realizes Kṛṣṇa as the supreme goal, he is no longer attracted by mystic yoga practice or the speculative empirical methods of knowledge.

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 4.23.12 quotesBG 7.19

This knowledge is attained after many, many births, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19): bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate.

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 23: Mahārāja Pṛthu’s Going Back Home

Pṛthu practices forest austerities and fixed devotion to Kṛṣṇa, then departs; Arci’s faithful service is praised.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.23
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. chinnabeing separated
  2. anya-dhīḥall other concepts of life (the bodily concept of life)
  3. adhigatabeing firmly convinced
  4. ātma-gatiḥthe ultimate goal of spiritual life
  5. nirīhaḥdesireless
  6. tatthat
  7. tatyajegave up
  8. acchinathe had cut
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 4.23

    In this verse: “gave up”, “free from”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.23

    In this verse: “illusions”, “illusion”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.23

    In this verse: “devotional service”

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 much space am I giving to hearing about Kṛṣṇa and developing attraction to Him?

Practice

Spend five minutes today reading or hearing narrations about Kṛṣṇa, with the intention of deepening your desire to serve Him.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevotional Service to Kṛṣṇa Is Life’s GoalThis 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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