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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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Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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 24: Chanting the Song Sung by Lord Śiva
4.24.144.24.16

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.24.15

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.24.9inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura
A turning point forThe Pracetās· Receiving Śiva’s prayers

यदुक्तं पथि द‍ृष्टेन गिरिशेन प्रसीदता ।

तद्ध्यायन्तो जपन्तश्च पूजयन्तश्च संयता: ॥ १५ ॥

yad uktaṁ pathi dṛṣṭena

giriśena prasīdatā

tad dhyāyanto japantaś ca

pūjayantaś ca saṁyatāḥ

Translation

When all the sons of Prācīnabarhi left home to execute austerities, they met Lord Śiva, who, out of great mercy, instructed them about the Absolute Truth. All the sons of Prācīnabarhi meditated upon the instructions, chanting and worshiping them with great care and attention.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Receive, Remember and Follow Spiritual Instructions

  1. 1

    Austerity and devotional service require the guidance of a spiritual master. Lord Śiva mercifully became the spiritual master of the Pracetās.

  2. 2

    The Pracetās took his words so seriously that they became perfect by meditating upon his instructions. The spiritual master’s order is the life substance of the disciple.

  3. 3

    A disciple’s first business is to execute the spiritual master’s order. One should not only meditate upon it but also find the means to carry it out perfectly.

Key points from the purport
  • Lord Śiva actually became the spiritual master of the ten sons, and in turn his disciples took his words so seriously that simply by meditating upon his instructions (dhyāyantaḥ) they became perfect.
  • The disciple should not consider whether he is going back home, back to Godhead; his first business should be to execute the order of his spiritual master.
  • Thus a disciple should always meditate on the order of the spiritual master, and that is perfectional meditation.

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 4.24.15 quotesBG 2.41

This is also the verdict of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, who, while explaining the verse of Bhagavad-gītā beginning vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana, points out that the order of the spiritual master is the life substance of the disciple.

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

Worldly absorption → Sobering awareness. The mind's identification with material life becomes visible.

Chapters 24–29 of Canto 4: Śiva's song and the allegory of Purañjana. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 24: Chanting the Song Sung by Lord Śiva

Lord Śiva mercifully teaches the Pracetās prayers glorifying the Supreme Lord.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.24
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yatthat
  2. uktamsaid
  3. pathion the way
  4. dṛṣṭenawhile meeting
  5. giriśenaby Lord Śiva
  6. prasīdatābeing very much satisfied
  7. tatthat
  8. dhyāyantaḥmeditating
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.24

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

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 4.24

    In this verse: “mercy”, “mercifully”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 4.24

    In this verse: “absolute truth”

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 can I move from remembering spiritual instruction to actually following it?

Practice

Reread one instruction in this purport and write down one concrete way to apply it today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayReceive, Remember and Follow Spiritual InstructionsThis 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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