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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 27: Attack by Caṇḍavega on the City of King Purañjana; the Character of Kālakanyā
4.27.14.27.3

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.27.2

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 4.27.1inside 5 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraNārada Muni → King PrācīnabarhiThe allegory of King Purañjana → Prācīnabarhi, as listener

स राजा महिषीं राजन् सुस्‍नातां

रुचिराननाम् ।

कृतस्वस्त्ययनां तृप्तामभ्यनन्ददुपागताम् ॥ २ ॥

sa rājā mahiṣīṁ rājan

susnātāṁ rucirānanām

kṛta-svastyayanāṁ tṛptām

abhyanandad upāgatām

Translation

The Queen took her bath and dressed herself nicely with all auspicious garments and ornaments. After taking food and becoming completely satisfied, she returned to the King. Upon seeing her beautifully decorated attractive face, the King welcomed her with all devotion.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Support Clear Intelligence in Family Life

  1. 1

    The Queen bathed, dressed nicely and returned satisfied to the King. Seeing her attractive face, he welcomed her warmly.

  2. 2

    The purport describes the wife as an inspiration for good intelligence. Her cleanliness and pleasing appearance help her husband feel satisfied and think soberly about family affairs.

  3. 3

    Excessive anxiety makes family duties harder to discharge well. Husband and wife should work together so that family affairs proceed without impediment.

Key points from the purport
  • A woman is generally accustomed to dress herself nicely with fine garments and decorative ornaments.
  • It is the duty of the wife to dress herself up very nicely so that when her husband returns home he becomes attracted by her dress and cleanliness and thus becomes satisfied.
  • A wife is therefore supposed to be an inspiration and should keep the husband’s intelligence in good order so that they can combinedly prosecute the affairs of family life without impediment.

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 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. saḥhe
  2. rājāthe King
  3. mahiṣīmthe Queen
  4. rājanO King
  5. su-snātāmnicely bathed
  6. rucira-ānanāmattractive face
  7. kṛta-svasti-ayanāmdressed with auspicious garments and ornaments
  8. tṛptāmsatisfied
  9. abhyanandathe welcomed
  10. upāgatāmapproached
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.27

    In this verse: “devotion”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.27

    In this verse: “king”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 4.27

    In this verse: “duties”

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 you help bring calm and clear thinking to your household?

Practice

Offer one calm, encouraging word to a family member who is worried about a household responsibility.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todaySupport Clear Intelligence in Family LifeThis 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 4.27.2? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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