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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
4.24.274.24.29

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.24.28

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Śivasince 4.24.28inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraLord Śiva → the Pracetās

य: परं रंहस:

साक्षात्‍त्रिरगुणाज्जीवसंज्ञितात् ।

भगवन्तं वासुदेवं प्रपन्न: स प्रियो हि

मे ॥ २८ ॥

yaḥ paraṁ raṁhasaḥ sākṣāt

tri-guṇāj jīva-saṁjñitāt

bhagavantaṁ vāsudevaṁ

prapannaḥ sa priyo hi me

Translation

Lord Śiva continued: Any person who is surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, the controller of everything — material nature as well as the living entity — is actually very dear to me.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Surrender to Kṛṣṇa Pleases Lord Śiva

  1. 1

    Lord Śiva came to see the Pracetās because they were fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. Anyone surrendered to Kṛṣṇa is very dear to him.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, above both conditioned and liberated living entities. He controls material nature and the living entities.

  3. 3

    The living entity struggles by trying to dominate material nature. Lord Śiva teaches direct surrender to Kṛṣṇa, whom he himself worships.

Key points from the purport
  • Since Vāsudeva is the ultimate truth, Lord Śiva openly proclaims that one who is a devotee of Lord Vāsudeva, who is surrendered to Lord Kṛṣṇa, is actually very dear to him.
  • Lord Vāsudeva, or Kṛṣṇa, is described in Bhagavad-gītā as Puruṣottama.
  • Thus in all respects Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the Supreme Lord, and Lord Śiva is very satisfied with those who are completely surrendered to Him.

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· 5

The purport of SB 4.24.28 quotesBG 7.19

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19): “After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is.

The purport of SB 4.24.28 quotesSB 12.13.1

Yaṁ brahmā-varuṇendra-rudra-marutaḥ stunvanti divyaiḥ stavaiḥ: Kṛṣṇa is worshiped by Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Varuṇa, Indra, Candra and all other demigods.

The purport of SB 4.24.28 quotesBG 7.5

Being influenced by the three modes of material nature, the living entity tries to dominate material nature, but actually he is not the puruṣa (enjoyer) but prakṛti, as described in Bhagavad-gītā (7.5): apareyam itas tv anyāṁ prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām.

The purport of SB 4.24.28 quotesBG 15.7

This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (15.7): “The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts.

The purport of SB 4.24.28 quotesBG 15.18

Being above both the kṣara and akṣara, Lord Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, is described in Bhagavad-gītā (15.18) as Puruṣottama.

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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yaḥanyone
  2. paramtranscendental
  3. raṁhasaḥof the controller
  4. sākṣātdirectly
  5. tri-guṇātfrom the three modes of material nature
  6. jīva-saṁjñitātliving entities called by the name jīvas
  7. bhagavantamunto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  8. vāsudevamunto Kṛṣṇa
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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: “material”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Wholehearted surrender

    Relinquishing ownership while entrusting oneself to the Lord. · Theme in SB 4.24

    In this verse: “surrendered”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “worships”

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

Where am I trying to dominate rather than learning to surrender to Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Slowly say “oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya,” with the intention of taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa.

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 12.13.1

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 4.24's connections

Live this todaySurrender to Kṛṣṇa Pleases Lord ŚivaThis 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 4.24.28? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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