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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
4.24.354.24.37

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.24.36

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.24.32inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraLord Śiva → the Pracetās

नमो नमोऽनिरुद्धाय हृषीकेशेन्द्रियात्मने ।

नम: परमहंसाय पूर्णाय निभृतात्मने ॥ ३६ ॥

namo namo ’niruddhāya

hṛṣīkeśendriyātmane

namaḥ paramahaṁsāya

pūrṇāya nibhṛtātmane

Translation

My Lord, as the supreme directing Deity known as Aniruddha, You are the master of the senses and the mind. I therefore offer my obeisances unto You again and again. You are known as Ananta as well as Saṅkarṣaṇa because of Your ability to destroy the whole creation by the blazing fire from Your mouth.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Ask for Help Remembering Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    The mind directs the senses, and Lord Aniruddha directs the mind. Lord Śiva therefore asks Him for help fixing his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa in devotional service.

  2. 2

    Remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness come from the Lord. Through His fourfold expansion, Lord Kṛṣṇa governs thinking, feeling, willing and acting.

  3. 3

    The purport describes the sun-god as an expansion of Lord Aniruddha who maintains life through heat, light and rainfall. Lord Śiva prays that his mind may remain clean and engaged in the Lord’s devotional service.

Key points from the purport
  • The mind is the director of the senses, and Lord Aniruddha is the director of the mind.
  • Thus if Lord Aniruddha is pleased, He can help the mind engage in the service of the Lord.
  • Since the predominating deity of the sun is an expansion of Lord Aniruddha, Lord Śiva also prays to the sun-god in this verse.

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· 2

The purport of SB 4.24.36 quotesBG 9.34

It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.34), man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru.

The purport of SB 4.24.36 quotesBG 15.15

It is also stated in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: from the Lord come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.

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. namaḥall my obeisances unto You
  2. namaḥobeisances again
  3. aniruddhāyaunto Lord Aniruddha
  4. hṛṣīkeśathe master of the senses
  5. indriya-ātmanethe director of the senses
  6. namaḥall obeisances unto You
  7. parama-haṁsāyaunto the supreme perfect
  8. pūrṇāyaunto the supreme complete
  9. nibhṛta-ātmanewho is situated apart from this material creation
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: “devotional service”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.24

    In this verse: “governs”

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

When my mind wanders, do I remember to ask the Lord for help?

Practice

Spend one minute thinking of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, first asking Lord Aniruddha to help your mind remain engaged.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayAsk for Help Remembering KṛṣṇaThis 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 4.24.36? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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