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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 25: The Descriptions of the Characteristics of King Purañjana
4.25.424.25.44

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.25.43

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 4.25.43inside 5 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraNārada Muni → King PrācīnabarhiThe allegory of King Purañjana → Prācīnabarhi, as listener

नारद उवाच

इति तौ दम्पती तत्र समुद्य समयं मिथ: ।

तां प्रविश्य पुरीं राजन्मुमुदाते शतं समा: ॥ ४३ ॥

nārada uvāca

iti tau dam-patī tatra

samudya samayaṁ mithaḥ

tāṁ praviśya purīṁ rājan

mumudāte śataṁ samāḥ

Translation

The great sage Nārada continued: My dear King, those two — the man and the woman — supporting one another through mutual understanding, entered that city and enjoyed life for one hundred years.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Life Spans Differ Across Planets

  1. 1

    The man and woman entered the city with mutual understanding and enjoyed life for one hundred years.

  2. 2

    The purport explains that human beings are given the concession to live up to one hundred years. The measure of those years differs from planet to planet.

  3. 3

    Lord Brahmā lives one hundred years according to time on Brahmaloka, while one of his days equals millions of earthly years. Standards of living also differ according to planetary life spans.

Key points from the purport
  • One hundred years is significant in this connection because every human being is given the concession to live up to a hundred years.
  • In other words, one hundred years on this planet is different from one hundred years on another planet.
  • On every planet, however, the span of life for a human being is roughly one hundred years.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

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 25: The Descriptions of the Characteristics of King Purañjana

Nārada’s allegory introduces Purañjana, his search for enjoyment, and his attraction to a woman.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.25
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nāradaḥ uvācathe great sage Nārada spoke
  2. itithus
  3. tauthey
  4. dam-patīhusband and wife
  5. tatrathere
  6. samudyabeing equally enthusiastic
  7. samayamaccepting one another
  8. mithaḥmutually
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 4.25

    In this verse: “understanding”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.25

    In this verse: “king”

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

How does this description broaden my usual understanding of a lifetime?

Practice

Write one sentence explaining why one hundred years does not represent the same duration on every planet.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLife Spans Differ Across PlanetsThis 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 4.25.43? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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