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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
4.24.684.24.70

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.24.69

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
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

इदं जपत भद्रं वो विशुद्धा नृपनन्दना: ।

स्वधर्ममनुतिष्ठन्तो भगवत्यर्पिताशया: ॥ ६९ ॥

idaṁ japata bhadraṁ vo

viśuddhā nṛpa-nandanāḥ

sva-dharmam anutiṣṭhanto

bhagavaty arpitāśayāḥ

Translation

My dear sons of the King, just execute your occupational duty as kings with a pure heart. Just chant this prayer fixing your mind on the lotus feet of the Lord. That will bring you all good fortune, for the Lord will be very much pleased with you.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Serve the Lord Wherever You Are

  1. 1

    Lord Śiva asks the princes to perform their duties with pure hearts while chanting his prayer and fixing their minds on the Lord. Such worship pleases the Lord and brings good fortune.

  2. 2

    The real purpose of life is to become a devotee of the Lord. Anyone can offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whatever their occupation or circumstances.

  3. 3

    The Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is a prayer asking the Lord to engage us in His service. We can remain in our occupations while hearing the Lord’s message from realized souls.

Key points from the purport
  • Simply by offering prayers to the Supreme Lord one can become perfect, even though engaged in his occupational duty.
  • The Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is also a prayer, for a prayer addresses the Supreme Personality of Godhead by His name and invokes good fortune by petitioning the Lord to allow one to engage in His devotional service.
  • The Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra also says, “My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, my dear Lord Rāma, O energy of the Lord, Hare, kindly engage me in Your service.”

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 4.24.69 quotesSB 1.2.6

Although one may be situated in a lowly position, he can execute devotional service under any circumstance, as stated, ahaituky apratihatā: “Devotional service cannot be checked by any material condition.”

The purport of SB 4.24.69 quotesSB 10.14.3

ye prāyaśo ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām. One may remain situated in his own place or in his own occupational duty and still lend his ear to receive the message of the Lord from realized souls.

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. idamthis
  2. japatawhile chanting
  3. bhadramall auspiciousness
  4. vaḥall of you
  5. viśuddhāḥpurified
  6. nṛpa-nandanāḥthe sons of the King
  7. sva-dharmamone’s occupational duties
  8. anutiṣṭhantaḥexecuting
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 4.24

    In this verse: “chant”, “chanting”, “hearing”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

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

    In this verse: “duty”, “duties”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotee”, “worship”

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

Do I treat my circumstances as an obstacle to devotion, or as a place where I can begin serving?

Practice

Before beginning one duty today, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa with the prayer, “Kindly engage me in Your service.”

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.

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

Live this todayServe the Lord Wherever You AreThis 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 4.24.69? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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