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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 26: King Purañjana Goes to the Forest to Hunt, and His Queen Becomes Angry
4.26.84.26.10

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.26.9

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 4.26.7inside 5 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraNārada Muni → King PrācīnabarhiThe allegory of King Purañjana → Prācīnabarhi, as listener

तत्र निर्भिन्नगात्राणां चित्रवाजै: शिलीमुखै: ।

विप्लवोऽभूद्दु:खितानां दु:सह: करुणात्मनाम् ॥ ९ ॥

tatra nirbhinna-gātrāṇāṁ

citra-vājaiḥ śilīmukhaiḥ

viplavo ’bhūd duḥkhitānāṁ

duḥsahaḥ karuṇātmanām

Translation

When King Purañjana was hunting in this way, many animals within the forest lost their lives with great pain, being pierced by the sharp arrowheads. Upon seeing these devastating, ghastly activities performed by the King, all the people who were merciful by nature became very unhappy. Such merciful persons could not tolerate seeing all this killing.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotees Cannot Ignore Animal Suffering

  1. 1

    The animals killed by King Purañjana suffered greatly, and merciful people could not tolerate seeing their pain. Devotees of the Lord are deeply afflicted by animal-killing.

  2. 2

    Animals are not lifeless stones or beings without souls. The purport rejects such arguments as excuses for killing them.

  3. 3

    Vaiṣṇavas are unhappy to see killing and exploitation, so they work to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Compassion also calls us to heed the instructions of saintly persons.

Key points from the purport
  • When demoniac persons engage in animal-killing, the demigods, or devotees of the Lord, are very much afflicted by this killing.
  • Being very much compassionate upon the killing of animals in sacrifice, the great sage Nārada began his instructions to King Prācīnabarhiṣat.
  • In these instructions, Nārada Muni explained that devotees like him are very much afflicted by all the killing that goes on in human society.

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. tatrathere
  2. nirbhinnabeing pierced
  3. gātrāṇāmwhose bodies
  4. citra-vājaiḥwith variegated feathers
  5. śilī-mukhaiḥby the arrows
  6. viplavaḥdestruction
  7. abhūtwas done
  8. duḥkhitānāmof the most aggrieved
  9. duḥsahaḥunbearable
  10. karuṇa-ātmanāmfor persons who are very merciful
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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”

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 4.26

    In this verse: “merciful”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotees”

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 can concern for suffering animals influence my choices today?

Practice

Choose a meal without meat today as a concrete step away from supporting animal-killing.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevotees Cannot Ignore Animal SufferingThis 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 4.26.9? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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