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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 26: King Purañjana Goes to the Forest to Hunt, and His Queen Becomes Angry
4.26.174.26.19

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.26.18

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 4.26.18inside 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

पुरञ्जन: स्वमहिषीं निरीक्ष्यावधुतां भुवि ।

तत्सङ्गोन्मथितज्ञानो वैक्लव्यं परमं ययौ ॥ १८ ॥

nārada uvāca

purañjanaḥ sva-mahiṣīṁ

nirīkṣyāvadhutāṁ bhuvi

tat-saṅgonmathita-jñāno

vaiklavyaṁ paramaṁ yayau

Translation

The great sage Nārada continued: My dear King Prācīnabarhi, as soon as King Purañjana saw his Queen lying on the ground, appearing like a mendicant, he immediately became bewildered.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Recognize the Cost of Neglected Intelligence

  1. 1

    Seeing his Queen lying uncared for on the ground, Purañjana became deeply aggrieved. He regretted neglecting his intelligence and killing animals in the forest.

  2. 2

    Neglecting good intelligence, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, leads to bewilderment and sinful activities. Recognizing this brings repentance.

  3. 3

    Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura laments wasting human life without worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. The purport compares knowingly neglecting Kṛṣṇa consciousness to drinking poison.

Key points from the purport
  • In other words, when one’s good intelligence is separated or neglected, he fully engages in sinful activities.
  • Due to neglecting one’s good intelligence, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one becomes bewildered and engages in sinful activities.
  • The purport is that one certainly becomes addicted to sinful activities when he becomes devoid of his good chaste wife, or when he has lost his good sense and does not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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 26: King Purañjana Goes to the Forest to Hunt, and His Queen Becomes Angry

Purañjana kills innocent animals while hunting, then returns and tries to soothe his distressed queen.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.26
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nāradaḥ uvācathe great sage Nārada spoke
  2. purañjanaḥKing Purañjana
  3. sva-mahiṣīmhis own Queen
  4. nirīkṣyaafter seeing
  5. avadhutāmappearing like a mendicant
  6. bhuvion the ground
  7. tather
  8. saṅgaby association
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 4.26

    In this verse: “king”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.26

    In this verse: “worshiping”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 4.26

    In this verse: “sinful”

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

Where have I ignored good intelligence that could guide me toward Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Practice

Identify one neglected opportunity for devotional service and take it up today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRecognize the Cost of Neglected IntelligenceThis 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 4.26.18? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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