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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
4.27.64.27.8

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.27.7

Visarga· Brahmā's creation
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

दुहितृर्दशोत्तरशतं पितृमातृयशस्करी: ।

शीलौदार्यगुणोपेता: पौरञ्जन्य: प्रजापते ॥ ७ ॥

duhitṝr daśottara-śataṁ

pitṛ-mātṛ-yaśaskarīḥ

śīlaudārya-guṇopetāḥ

paurañjanyaḥ prajā-pate

Translation

O Prajāpati, King Prācīnabarhiṣat, in this way King Purañjana also begot 110 daughters. All of these were equally glorified like the father and mother. Their behavior was gentle, and they possessed magnanimity and other good qualities.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Good Family Life Requires Sense Restraint

  1. 1

    Purañjana’s 110 daughters were gentle, magnanimous and well behaved. The purport explains that children begotten according to scriptural rules generally share their parents’ good qualities.

  2. 2

    Even producing good children does not justify unrestricted sense enjoyment. Too much enjoyment of any of the senses leads to sinful activities.

  3. 3

    The prescribed progression from family life to vānaprastha and then sannyāsa requires restraint. One should not accept sannyāsa whimsically, without confidence that one can control desires for sense gratification.

Key points from the purport
  • Children begotten under the rules and regulations of the scriptures generally become as good as the father and mother, but children born illegitimately mainly become varṇa-saṅkara.
  • In this verse we find that although King Purañjana had begotten so many children, they were not varṇa-saṅkara.
  • All of them were good, well-behaved children, and they had good qualities like their father and mother.

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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. duhitṝḥdaughters
  2. daśa-uttaraten more than
  3. śatamone hundred
  4. pitṛlike the father
  5. mātṛand mother
  6. yaśaskarīḥglorified
  7. śīlagood behavior
  8. audāryamagnanimity
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Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Visarga · Subcreation

    How do living beings and their worlds appear? · Subject 2 of 10

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 4.27

    In this verse: “mother”, “father”, “children”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 4.27

    In this verse: “glorified”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.27

    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

Where could I practice greater sense restraint, even when my life feels comfortable?

Practice

Choose one unnecessary sense indulgence and refrain from it today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayGood Family Life Requires Sense RestraintThis 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 4.27.7? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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