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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
4.26.244.26.26

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.26.25

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:King Purañjanasince 4.26.21inside 5 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraNārada Muni → King PrācīnabarhiThe allegory of King Purañjana → Prācīnabarhi, as listener

वक्त्रं न ते वितिलकं मलिनं विहर्षं

संरम्भभीममविमृष्टमपेतरागम् ।

पश्ये स्तनावपि शुचोपहतौ सुजातौ

बिम्बाधरं विगतकुङ्कुमपङ्करागम् ॥ २५ ॥

vaktraṁ na te vitilakaṁ malinaṁ viharṣaṁ

saṁrambha-bhīmam avimṛṣṭam apeta-rāgam

paśye stanāv api śucopahatau sujātau

bimbādharaṁ vigata-kuṅkuma-paṅka-rāgam

Translation

My dear wife, until this day I have never seen your face without tilaka decorations, nor have I seen you so morose and without luster or affection. Nor have I seen your two nice breasts wet with tears from your eyes. Nor have I ever before seen your lips, which are ordinarily as red as the bimba fruit, without their reddish hue.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Thoughts of Kṛṣṇa Brighten Intelligence

  1. 1

    The King sees the Queen without her usual decorations, affection and luster. Her tears and moroseness deeply concern him.

  2. 2

    The purport compares this loss of beauty to consciousness and intelligence without brilliant thoughts about Kṛṣṇa. Without such thoughts, they become morose and lusterless.

  3. 3

    Even sharp intelligence cannot bring real benefit when it lacks thoughts of Kṛṣṇa. Intelligence needs this spiritual brightness, not merely cleverness.

Key points from the purport
  • Every woman looks very beautiful when decorated with tilaka and vermillion.
  • A woman generally becomes very attractive when her lips are colored with reddish saffron or vermillion.
  • But when one’s consciousness and intelligence are without any brilliant thoughts about Kṛṣṇa, they become morose and lusterless, so much so that one cannot derive any benefit despite sharp 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 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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. vaktramface
  2. nanever
  3. teyour
  4. vitilakamwithout being decorated
  5. malinamunclean
  6. viharṣammorose
  7. saṁrambhawith anger
  8. bhīmamdangerous
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.26

    In this verse: “luster”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.26

    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 much room do thoughts of Kṛṣṇa have in the way I use my intelligence?

Practice

Pause once today and spend a minute thinking about Kṛṣṇa rather than only your immediate concerns.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThoughts of Kṛṣṇa Brighten 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.

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