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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

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
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

4.24.6 4.24.8

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.24.7

Nirodha· Winding up

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.24.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

तत्रापि हंसं पुरुषं परमात्मानमात्मद‍ृक् ।

यजंस्तल्लोकतामाप कुशलेन समाधिना ॥ ७ ॥

tatrāpi haṁsaṁ puruṣaṁ

paramātmānam ātma-dṛk

yajaṁs tal-lokatām āpa

kuśalena samādhinā

Translation

Although Mahārāja Antardhāna was engaged in performing sacrifices, because he was a self-realized soul he very intelligently rendered devotional service to the Lord, who eradicates all the fears of His devotees. By thus worshiping the Supreme Lord, Mahārāja Antardhāna, rapt in ecstasy, attained His planet very easily.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Hearing and Chanting Lead to the Lord

1
Although Antardhāna outwardly performed sacrifices, his real business was devotional service through hearing and chanting. He was a self-realized soul.
2
The Supreme Lord eradicates His devotees’ fears. Worshiping Him in ecstasy, Antardhāna easily attained His planet.
3
Devotional service is called kīrtana-yajña, and practicing saṅkīrtana-yajña easily elevates one to the Lord’s planet. Living there with Him is called sālokya liberation.

Key points from the purport

Since sacrifices are generally performed by fruitive actors, it is especially mentioned here (tatrāpi) that although Mahārāja Antardhāna was externally engaged in performing sacrifices, his real business was rendering devotional service by hearing and chanting.
Devotional service is called kīrtana-yajña, and by practicing the saṅkīrtana-yajña, one is very easily elevated to the planet where the Supreme Lord resides.
Out of the five kinds of liberations, achieving the same planet where the Lord resides and living with the Lord there is called sālokya liberation.

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· 1

The purport of SB 4.24.7 quotesSB 7.5.23-24

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam. Devotional service is called kīrtana-yajña, and by practicing the saṅkīrtana-yajña, one is very easily elevated to the planet where the Supreme Lord resides.

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

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

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

tatra apidespite his engagement
haṁsamone who kills the distress of his kinsmen
puruṣamunto the Supreme Person
parama-ātmānamthe most beloved Supersoul
ātma-dṛkone who has seen or acquired self-realization
yajanby worshiping
tat-lokatāmachieved the same planet
āpaachieved
kuśalenavery easily
samādhināalways keeping himself in ecstasy

Key ideas in this verse

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

Nirodha · Returning home, back to Godhead
What happens when everything here comes to an end? · Subject 8 of 10
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.24
In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotees”, “worshiping”
Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting
Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 4.24
In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”, “kīrtana-yajña”
Abhaya · Fearlessness
Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 4.24
In this verse: “fears”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Is devotional service my real purpose, or am I mainly concerned with outward activity?

Practice

Set aside five minutes today to hear and chant about the Supreme Lord with attentive devotion.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 7.5.23

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

Live this todayHearing and Chanting Lead to the LordThis 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 4.24.7? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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