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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
4.23.344.23.36

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.23.35

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.23.30inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं स्वर्ग्यं कलिमलापहम् ।

धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां सम्यक्सिद्धिमभीप्सुभि: ।

श्रद्धयैतदनुश्राव्यं चतुर्णां कारणं परम् ॥ ३५ ॥

dhanyaṁ yaśasyam āyuṣyaṁ

svargyaṁ kali-malāpaham

dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣāṇāṁ

samyak siddhim abhīpsubhiḥ

śraddhayaitad anuśrāvyaṁ

caturṇāṁ kāraṇaṁ param

Translation

By hearing the narration of Pṛthu Mahārāja, one can become great, increase his duration of life, gain promotion to the heavenly planets and counteract the contaminations of this Age of Kali. In addition, one can promote the causes of religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. Therefore from all sides it is advisable for a materialistic person who is interested in such things to read and hear the narrations of the life and character of Pṛthu Mahārāja.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Hear With Devotion, Whatever Your Desires

  1. 1

    Hearing Pṛthu’s life and character brings many benefits, including increased life, heavenly elevation and relief from the contamination of Kali. More importantly, such hearing naturally makes one a devotee.

  2. 2

    Whether one seeks pure devotion, material prosperity or liberation, the recommended path is devotional service. One should hear and chant about Lord Viṣṇu or His devotee.

  3. 3

    The purpose of Vedic knowledge is to understand Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. Kṛṣṇa is never without variety or alone; speaking of Him includes His devotees.

Key points from the purport
  • By reading and hearing the narrations of the life and character of Pṛthu Mahārāja, one naturally becomes a devotee, and as soon as one becomes a devotee, his material desires automatically become fulfilled.
  • Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (Bg. 15.15): the purpose of Vedic knowledge is to understand Kṛṣṇa and His devotees.
  • Kṛṣṇa is full of variety, and as soon as Kṛṣṇa is present, there cannot be any question of void.

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 4.23.35 quotesSB 2.3.10

Therefore it is recommended in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.3.10): If a person wants to return home, back to Godhead, or wants to become a pure devotee (akāma), or wants some material prosperity (sakāma or sarva-kāma), or wants to merge into the existence of the Supreme Brahman effulgence (mokṣa-kāma), he is recommended to take to the path of devotional service and hear and…

The purport of SB 4.23.35 quotesBG 15.15

Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ: the purpose of Vedic knowledge is to understand Kṛṣṇa and His devotees.

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. dhanyamthe source of riches
  2. yaśasyamthe source of reputation
  3. āyuṣyamthe source of an increased span of life
  4. svargyamthe source of elevation to the heavenly planets
  5. kaliof the Age of Kali
  6. mala-apahamdecreasing the contamination
  7. dharmareligion
  8. arthaeconomic development
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 4.23

    In this verse: “hearing”, “narration”, “chant”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

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

    In this verse: “contaminations”, “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

Whatever desires I have now, am I willing to make devotional hearing my path?

Practice

Read a short portion of Pṛthu’s narration today with the intention of developing devotion, whatever other desires you carry.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayHear With Devotion, Whatever Your DesiresThis 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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