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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 4.25.57-61

Who is speaking and story frame

क्‍वचित्पिबन्त्यां पिबति मदिरां मदविह्वल: ।

अश्नन्त्यां क्‍वचिदश्नाति जक्षत्यां सह जक्षिति ॥ ५७ ॥

क्‍वचिद्गायति गायन्त्यां रुदत्यां रुदति क्‍वचित् ।

क्‍वचिद्धसन्त्यां हसति जल्पन्त्यामनु जल्पति ॥ ५८ ॥

क्‍वचिद्धावति धावन्त्यां तिष्ठन्त्यामनु तिष्ठति ।

अनु शेते शयानायामन्वास्ते क्‍वचिदासतीम् ॥ ५९ ॥

क्‍वचिच्छृणोति श‍ृण्वन्त्यां पश्यन्त्यामनु पश्यति ।

क्‍वचिज्जिघ्रति जिघ्रन्त्यां स्पृशन्त्यां स्पृशति क्‍वचित् ॥ ६० ॥

क्‍वचिच्च शोचतीं जायामनुशोचति दीनवत् ।

अनु हृष्यति हृष्यन्त्यां मुदितामनु मोदते ॥ ६१ ॥

kvacit pibantyāṁ pibati

madirāṁ mada-vihvalaḥ

aśnantyāṁ kvacid aśnāti

jakṣatyāṁ saha jakṣiti

kvacid gāyati gāyantyāṁ

rudatyāṁ rudati kvacit

kvacid dhasantyāṁ hasati

jalpantyām anu jalpati

kvacid dhāvati dhāvantyāṁ

tiṣṭhantyām anu tiṣṭhati

anu śete śayānāyām

anvāste kvacid āsatīm

kvacic chṛṇoti śṛṇvantyāṁ

paśyantyām anu paśyati

kvacij jighrati jighrantyāṁ

spṛśantyāṁ spṛśati kvacit

kvacic ca śocatīṁ jāyām

anu śocati dīnavat

anu hṛṣyati hṛṣyantyāṁ

muditām anu modate

Translation

When the Queen drank liquor, King Purañjana also engaged in drinking. When the Queen dined, he used to dine with her, and when she chewed, King Purañjana used to chew along with her. When the Queen sang, he also sang. Similarly, when the Queen cried, he also cried, and when the Queen laughed, he also laughed. When the Queen talked loosely, he also talked loosely, and when the Queen walked, the King walked behind her. When the Queen would stand still, the King would also stand still, and when the Queen would lie down in bed, he would also follow and lie down with her. When the Queen sat, he would also sit, and when the Queen heard something, he would follow her to hear the same thing. When the Queen saw something, the King would also look at it, and when the Queen smelled something, the King would follow her to smell the same thing. When the Queen touched something, the King would also touch it, and when the dear Queen was lamenting, the poor King also had to follow her in lamentation. In the same way, when the Queen felt enjoyment, he also enjoyed, and when the Queen was satisfied, the King also felt satisfaction.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Purify Intelligence Through Service to Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    Purañjana follows the Queen in her actions, enjoyment and lamentation. This depicts the soul following material intelligence under the control of the mind.

  2. 2

    Material intelligence causes bondage, so one must take to spiritual intelligence. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa purified his intelligence by first engaging his mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

  3. 3

    Mahārāja Ambarīṣa also engaged his senses in the Lord’s service. He heard and spoke about Kṛṣṇa, saw the Deity, cleaned the temple and tasted prasāda.

Key points from the purport
  • The intelligence is herein depicted as the Queen, and the soul, under mental control, follows the material intelligence just as the King follows his wife.
  • The conclusion is that material intelligence is the cause of bondage for the living entity.
  • Thus, consciously or unconsciously, they become entangled by the dictations of material intelligence.

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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kvacitsometimes
  2. pibantyāmwhile drinking
  3. pibatihe drank
  4. madirāmliquor
  5. mada-vihvalaḥbeing intoxicated
  6. aśnantyāmwhile she was eating
  7. kvacitsometimes
  8. aśnātihe ate
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

  • Viraha · Longing in separation

    Love and remembrance experienced in apparent absence. · Theme in SB 4.25

    In this verse: “lamenting”, “cried”, “lamentation”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 4.25

    In this verse: “heard”

  • 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

Which of my senses could I consciously engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service today?

Practice

Spend five minutes hearing about Kṛṣṇa, giving the hearing your full attention.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

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

Live this todayPurify Intelligence Through Service to 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 4.25.57-61? Get an answer from the verses themselves.