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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
4.23.274.23.29

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.23.28

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The wives of the demigodssince 4.23.26inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

स वञ्चितो बतात्मध्रुक् कृच्छ्रेण महता भुवि ।

लब्ध्वापवर्ग्यं मानुष्यं विषयेषु विषज्जते ॥ २८ ॥

sa vañcito batātma-dhruk

kṛcchreṇa mahatā bhuvi

labdhvāpavargyaṁ mānuṣyaṁ

viṣayeṣu viṣajjate

Translation

Any person who engages himself within this material world in performing activities that necessitate great struggle, and who, after obtaining a human form of life — which is a chance to attain liberation from miseries — undertakes the difficult tasks of fruitive activities, must be considered to be cheated and envious of his own self.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Use Human Life for Devotional Service

  1. 1

    Difficult activities aimed at sense gratification yield only temporary results. Devotees, however, are satisfied simply to have an opportunity to serve the Lord.

  2. 2

    The human body is like a boat, the spiritual master is its navigator, and Kṛṣṇa’s instructions are favorable winds. Neglecting this opportunity means wasting the human form of life.

  3. 3

    The aim of human life is to return home, back to Godhead, where the Supreme Personality of Godhead resides. Human life is meant for executing devotional service, not merely seeking material comforts or impersonal liberation.

Key points from the purport
  • In this material world people are engaged in different activities simply to achieve a little success in sense gratification.
  • Thus the aim of all these activities is sense gratification to a higher or a lower degree.
  • The words sa vañcitaḥ indicate that once a person has obtained the human form of life, he is actually cheated if he does not make preparations to go back home, back to Godhead.

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 4.23.28 quotesBG 7.23

As Kṛṣṇa Himself proclaims in Bhagavad-gītā (7.23), antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām: “The fruits [of those who worship the demigods] are limited and temporary.”

The purport of SB 4.23.28 quotesSB 11.20.17

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.20.17): When one wants to cross a large ocean, he requires a strong boat.

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. saḥhe
  2. vañcitaḥcheated
  3. batacertainly
  4. ātma-dhrukenvious of himself
  5. kṛcchreṇawith great difficulty
  6. mahatāby great activities
  7. bhuviin this world
  8. labdhvāby achieving
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotees”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 4.23

    In this verse: “favorable”

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 of my effort serves temporary desires, and how much prepares me to return to Godhead?

Practice

Set aside five minutes today to read Kṛṣṇa’s instructions with the intention of serving Him.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayUse Human Life for Devotional ServiceThis 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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