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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
4.24.284.24.30

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.24.29

Mukti· Liberation
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

स्वधर्मनिष्ठ: शतजन्मभि: पुमान्

विरिञ्चतामेति तत: परं हि माम् ।

अव्याकृतं भागवतोऽथ वैष्णवं

पदं यथाहं विबुधा: कलात्यये ॥ २९ ॥

sva-dharma-niṣṭhaḥ śata-janmabhiḥ pumān

viriñcatām eti tataḥ paraṁ hi mām

avyākṛtaṁ bhāgavato ’tha vaiṣṇavaṁ

padaṁ yathāhaṁ vibudhāḥ kalātyaye

Translation

A person who executes his occupational duty properly for one hundred births becomes qualified to occupy the post of Brahmā, and if he becomes more qualified, he can approach Lord Śiva. A person who is directly surrendered to Lord Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu, in unalloyed devotional service is immediately promoted to the spiritual planets. Lord Śiva and other demigods attain these planets after the destruction of this material world.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Is Life’s Highest Perfection

  1. 1

    Properly performing one’s occupational duty for one hundred births qualifies one for the post of Brahmā. Further qualification allows one to approach Lord Śiva.

  2. 2

    Even promotion to Brahmaloka does not end material miseries, and Śivaloka is a marginal position. Attaining Vaikuṇṭhaloka is the highest perfection of life.

  3. 3

    A devotee fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness seeks no material benefit or promotion to other planets. Such a devotee goes directly to Kṛṣṇaloka after leaving the body.

Key points from the purport
  • It is also mentioned herein that whoever executes his occupational duty (sva-dharma) for one hundred births (for instance, if a brāhmaṇa continues to act as a brāhmaṇa) becomes eligible for promotion to Brahmaloka, the planet where Lord Brahmā lives.
  • If, after being situated in Brahmaloka, one becomes more qualified, he is promoted to Sadāśivaloka.
  • In other words, it is confirmed herein that a person in human society who has developed consciousness must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in order to be promoted to Vaikuṇṭhaloka or Kṛṣṇaloka immediately after leaving the 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· 3

The purport of SB 4.24.29 quotesBG 4.13

This is indicated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13): “According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me.”

The purport of SB 4.24.29 quotesBG 8.16

As indicated in Bhagavad-gītā (8.16), one does not escape material miseries even if he is elevated to Brahmaloka (ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino ’rjuna).

The purport of SB 4.24.29 quotesBG 4.9

Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ’rjuna. A devotee who is fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, who is not attracted by any other loka, or planet, including Brahmaloka and Śivaloka, is immediately transferred to Kṛṣṇaloka (mām eti).

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. sva-dharma-niṣṭhaḥone who is situated in his own dharma, or occupation
  2. śata-janmabhiḥfor one hundred births
  3. pumāna living entity
  4. viriñcatāmthe post of Lord Brahmā
  5. etigets
  6. tataḥthereafter
  7. paramabove
  8. hicertainly
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 4.24

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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.24

    In this verse: “material”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 4.24

    In this verse: “duty”

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 greater material comfort, or making devotional service my goal?

Practice

Set aside a few minutes today for devotional service without asking for any material benefit.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevotional Service Is Life’s Highest PerfectionThis 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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