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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.
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Canto 4 · Chapter 23: Mahārāja Pṛthu’s Going Back Home
4.23.154.23.17

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.23.16

Nirodha· Winding up
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

खान्याकाशे द्रवं तोये यथास्थानं विभागश: ।

क्षितिमम्भसि तत्तेजस्यदो वायौ नभस्यमुम् ॥ १६ ॥

khāny ākāśe dravaṁ toye

yathā-sthānaṁ vibhāgaśaḥ

kṣitim ambhasi tat tejasy

ado vāyau nabhasy amum

Translation

In this way, according to the different positions of the various parts of the body, Pṛthu Mahārāja merged the holes of his senses with the sky; his bodily liquids, such as blood and various secretions, with the totality of water; and he merged earth with water, then water with fire, fire with air, air with sky, and so on.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Understanding the Body’s Material Ingredients

  1. 1

    Pṛthu Mahārāja merged the bodily elements into their sources according to their proper divisions. Earth merged into water, water into fire, fire into air, and air into sky.

  2. 2

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead creates the cosmic manifestation in an ordered sequence. The body is formed through the same process, drawing its ingredients from the total material elements.

  3. 3

    The words yathā-sthānaṁ vibhāgaśaḥ emphasize knowing the process of creation. Meditating on this process in reverse is described as a way to become free from material contamination.

Key points from the purport
  • In this verse two words are very important: yathā-sthānaṁ vibhāgaśaḥ.
  • Similarly, the living entity, after entering a womb of a mother, also collects his gross and subtle bodies, taking ingredients from the totality of sky, air, fire, water and earth.
  • The words yathā-sthānaṁ vibhāgaśaḥ indicate that one should know the process of creation and should meditate upon the creative process inversely and thus become free from material contamination.

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 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. khānithe different holes in the body for the sense organs
  2. ākāśein the sky
  3. dravamthe liquid substance
  4. toyein the water
  5. yathā-sthānamaccording to proper situation
  6. vibhāgaśaḥas they are divided
  7. kṣitimearth
  8. ambhasiin the water
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Nirodha · Returning home, back to Godhead

    What happens when everything here comes to an end? · Subject 8 of 10

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

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

    In this verse: “free from”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “material”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 4.23

    In this verse: “contamination”

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 does understanding the body’s material ingredients change the way I see it?

Practice

Write down sky, air, fire, water and earth, then read the list backward while reflecting that the body draws its ingredients from these elements.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayUnderstanding the Body’s Material IngredientsThis 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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