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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.
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Canto 4 · Chapter 25: The Descriptions of the Characteristics of King Purañjana
4.25.444.25.46

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.25.45

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

सप्तोपरि कृता द्वार: पुरस्तस्यास्तु द्वे अध: ।

पृथग्विषयगत्यर्थं तस्यां य: कश्चनेश्वर: ॥ ४५ ॥

saptopari kṛtā dvāraḥ

puras tasyās tu dve adhaḥ

pṛthag-viṣaya-gaty-arthaṁ

tasyāṁ yaḥ kaścaneśvaraḥ

Translation

Of the nine gates in that city, seven were on the surface and two were subterranean. A total of nine doors were constructed, and these led to different places. All the gates were used by the city’s governor.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Body Is a Nine-Gated City

  1. 1

    The body's seven upper gates are the two eyes, two nostrils, two ears and mouth. The two lower gates are the rectum and genitals.

  2. 2

    The living entity is the king or ruler of this bodily city. He uses its gates to enjoy different kinds of material pleasure.

  3. 3

    Just as a city's gates lead toward different places, the body's openings provide different avenues of sense enjoyment. Nature supplies these openings for the living entity's use.

Key points from the purport
  • The seven gates of the body that are situated upward are the two eyes, two nostrils, two ears and one mouth.
  • The system of opening different gates to different places is still evident in old Indian cities.
  • The point of this simile is that the living entity wants to enjoy different types of material opulences, and to this end nature has given him various holes in his body that he can utilize for sense enjoyment.

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. saptaseven
  2. upariup
  3. kṛtāḥmade
  4. dvāraḥgates
  5. puraḥof the city
  6. tasyāḥthat
  7. tuthen
  8. dvetwo
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.25

    In this verse: “governor”, “king”, “ruler”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.25

    In this verse: “material”

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

Which bodily gate most often draws my attention toward material enjoyment?

Practice

Identify the body's nine gates, then notice how you use one of them for sense enjoyment today.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Body Is a Nine-Gated CityThis 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 4.25.45? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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