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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 27: Attack by Caṇḍavega on the City of King Purañjana; the Character of Kālakanyā
4.27.94.27.11

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.27.10

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 4.27.6inside 5 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraNārada Muni → King PrācīnabarhiThe allegory of King Purañjana → Prācīnabarhi, as listener

तेषु तद्रिक्थहारेषु गृहकोशानुजीविषु ।

निरूढेन ममत्वेन विषयेष्वन्वबध्यत ॥ १० ॥

teṣu tad-riktha-hāreṣu

gṛha-kośānujīviṣu

nirūḍhena mamatvena

viṣayeṣv anvabadhyata

Translation

These sons and grandsons were virtually plunderers of King Purañjana’s riches, including his home, treasury, servants, secretaries and all other paraphernalia. Purañjana’s attachment for these things was very deep-rooted.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Wealth Belongs to the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    Purañjana’s descendants consumed his accumulated wealth, yet his attachment to them and his possessions remained deep-rooted. The purport warns against making such accumulation the purpose of life.

  2. 2

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the real proprietor of all wealth and its actual enjoyer. Materialistic earners do not want to return their wealth to its actual owner.

  3. 3

    False ego makes one think, “I am this body,” and identify with a particular family, nation or community. These attachments grow deeper and make freedom from material entanglement difficult.

Key points from the purport
  • One’s sons, grandsons and other descendants are ultimately plunderers of one’s accumulated wealth.
  • They work very hard, accumulate money, and are satisfied to see that this money is plundered by their sons and grandsons.
  • After accumulating this money, they enjoy seeing it plundered by their sons and grandsons.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 2

The purport of SB 4.27.10 quotesBG 5.29

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (5.29), bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram: the real proprietor of all wealth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The purport of SB 4.27.10 quotesBG 16.13

Such people are graphically described in the Sixteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā (16.13-15) in this way:

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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 27: Attack by Caṇḍavega on the City of King Purañjana; the Character of Kālakanyā

Purañjana grows deeply attached to family while Caṇḍavega’s soldiers attack his city.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.27
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. teṣuto them
  2. tat-riktha-hāreṣuthe plunderers of his money
  3. gṛhahome
  4. kośatreasury
  5. anujīviṣuto the followers
  6. nirūḍhenadeep-rooted
  7. mamatvenaby attachment
  8. viṣayeṣuto sense objects
  9. anvabadhyatabecame bound
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 4.27

    In this verse: “attachment”, “wealth”, “materialistic”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.27

    In this verse: “king”

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 4.27

    In this verse: “false ego”

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 possession do I most strongly call “mine,” forgetting its actual owner?

Practice

Set aside a small amount of money for the Lord’s service, remembering that wealth belongs to Him.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayWealth Belongs to the Supreme LordThis 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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