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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
4.23.74.23.9

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.23.8

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

तेन क्रमानुसिद्धेन ध्वस्तकर्ममलाशय: ।

प्राणायामै: सन्निरुद्धषड्‌वर्गश्छिन्नबन्धन: ॥ ८ ॥

tena kramānusiddhena

dhvasta-karma-malāśayaḥ

prāṇāyāmaiḥ sanniruddha-

ṣaḍ-vargaś chinna-bandhanaḥ

Translation

By thus practicing severe austerities, Mahārāja Pṛthu gradually became steadfast in spiritual life and completely free of all desires for fruitive activities. He also practiced breathing exercises to control his mind and senses, and by such control he became completely free from all desires for fruitive activity.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Engage Mind and Senses in Devotion

  1. 1

    Through his practices, Mahārāja Pṛthu became steadfast in spiritual life and free from desires for fruitive activities. The purpose of prāṇāyāma is to stop the mind and senses from pursuing such activities, not merely to make the body fit.

  2. 2

    Desires to dominate material nature bind one to accept one material body after another. Worshiping Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, frees one from these desires.

  3. 3

    The actual aim is to strengthen the mind and senses for devotional service. In this age, determination for that service can be easily acquired by chanting the Lord’s holy names.

Key points from the purport
  • The purpose of prāṇāyāma, or mystic yoga, is to stop the mind and senses from engaging in fruitive activities.
  • So-called yogīs, without knowledge of the real purpose of yoga, practice it in order to keep the body fit.
  • Thus they engage themselves in fruitive activities, and thus they are bound by desire to accept another body.

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 4.23.8 quotesSB 4.22.39

sroto-gaṇās tam araṇaṁ bhaja vāsudevam. Here the word prāṇāyāma does not refer to any ulterior motive.

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. tenathus by practicing such austerities
  2. kramagradually
  3. anuconstantly
  4. siddhenaby perfection
  5. dhvastasmashed
  6. karmafruitive activities
  7. maladirty things
  8. āśayaḥdesire
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

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

  • 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”

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

Am I using my spiritual practice to seek material results or to engage my mind and senses in Kṛṣṇa’s service?

Practice

Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa today, gently bringing your attention back to the holy names whenever thoughts of personal gain arise.

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.

The purport quotesSB 4.22.39

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 4.23's connections

Live this todayEngage Mind and Senses in DevotionThis 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 4.23.8? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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