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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 24: Chanting the Song Sung by Lord Śiva
4.24.164.24.18

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.24.17

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Vidurasince 4.24.17inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

सङ्गम: खलु विप्रर्षे शिवेनेह शरीरिणाम् ।

दुर्लभो मुनयो दध्युरसङ्गाद्यमभीप्सितम् ॥ १७ ॥

saṅgamaḥ khalu viprarṣe

śiveneha śarīriṇām

durlabho munayo dadhyur

asaṅgād yam abhīpsitam

Translation

The great sage Vidura continued: O best of the brāhmaṇas, it is very difficult for living entities encaged within this material body to have personal contact with Lord Śiva. Even great sages who have no material attachments do not contact him, despite their always being absorbed in meditation to attain his personal contact.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Spiritual Understanding Culminates in Surrender

  1. 1

    Personal contact with Lord Śiva is very rare, even for detached sages absorbed in meditation. He descends on special occasions under the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  2. 2

    The purport explains that Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya preached monism for a particular historical need. It states that Lord Caitanya rejected both Māyāvāda and Buddhist philosophy.

  3. 3

    The purport locates spiritual significance in accepting Bhagavad-gītā, which culminates in surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It contrasts this with worshiping Lord Śiva for material benefit.

Key points from the purport
  • In this regard, it is stated in the Padma Purāṇa that Lord Śiva appeared as a brāhmaṇa in the Age of Kali to preach the Māyāvāda philosophy, which is nothing but a type of Buddhist philosophy.
  • Lord Śiva, speaking to Pārvatī-devī, foretold that he would spread the Māyāvāda philosophy in the guise of a sannyāsī brāhmaṇa just to eradicate Buddhist philosophy.
  • At the present moment there is no need for Māyāvāda philosophy or Buddhist philosophy, and Lord Caitanya rejected both of them.

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

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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saṅgamaḥassociation
  2. khalucertainly
  3. vipra-ṛṣeO best of the brāhmaṇas
  4. śivenaalong with Lord Śiva
  5. ihain this world
  6. śarīriṇāmthose who are encaged in material bodies
  7. durlabhaḥvery rare
  8. munayaḥgreat sages
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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 4.24

    In this verse: “attachments”, “material”, “māyāvāda”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “worshiping”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 4.24

    In this verse: “detached”

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 seeking material benefit through worship, or learning to surrender to the Supreme Lord?

Practice

Take one minute today to examine a desire you bring to worship and reflect on the goal of surrender.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todaySpiritual Understanding Culminates in SurrenderThis 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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