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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 28: Purañjana Becomes a Woman in the Next Life
4.28.94.28.11

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.28.10

Nirodha· Winding up
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 4.28.1inside 5 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraNārada Muni → King PrācīnabarhiThe allegory of King Purañjana → Prācīnabarhi, as listener

गन्धर्वयवनाक्रान्तां कालकन्योपमर्दिताम् ।

हातुं प्रचक्रमे राजा तां पुरीमनिकामत: ॥ १० ॥

gandharva-yavanākrāntāṁ

kāla-kanyopamarditām

hātuṁ pracakrame rājā

tāṁ purīm anikāmataḥ

Translation

The city of King Purañjana was overcome by the Gandharva and Yavana soldiers, and although the King had no desire to leave the city, he was circumstantially forced to do so, for it was smashed by Kālakanyā.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Loving Service Continues Beyond the Body

  1. 1

    According to karma—past desires and activities—the living entity receives a particular body. Long association produces attachment to that body, even though it is an abode of pain and cannot last forever.

  2. 2

    Without knowledge of the spiritual kingdom, a person clings to the present body. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement teaches that everyone can return to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and live eternally in bliss and knowledge.

  3. 3

    A Kṛṣṇa conscious person engages in the Lord’s transcendental loving service both within the body and after leaving it. Because devotional service continues eternally, such a person is not afraid of giving up the body.

Key points from the purport
  • In other words, the living entity — whatever his condition — does not want to give up the body.
  • The living entity wishes to enjoy the material world in different ways, and therefore by nature’s law he is allowed to transmigrate from one body to another, exactly as a person transmigrates from the body of an infant to a child to a boy to a youth to a man.
  • Although material existence and the material body are not comfortable, why does the living entity not want to leave?

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 28: Purañjana Becomes a Woman in the Next Life

Purañjana’s city falls; he becomes a woman, and a brāhmaṇa recalls the soul’s forgotten spiritual friendship.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.28
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. gandharvaby the Gandharva soldiers
  2. yavanaand by the Yavana soldiers
  3. ākrāntāmovercome
  4. kāla-kanyāby Kālakanyā (the daughter of Time)
  5. upamarditāmbeing smashed
  6. hātumto give up
  7. pracakrameproceeded
  8. rājāKing Purañjana
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Nirodha · Returning home, back to Godhead

    What happens when everything here comes to an end? · Subject 8 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.28

    In this verse: “king”, “kingdom”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.28

    In this verse: “attachment”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.28

    In this verse: “devotional service”

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 might understanding that loving service continues beyond death change my priorities today?

Practice

Offer one small act of loving service to Kṛṣṇa today, remembering that service to Him is not limited to this body.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLoving Service Continues Beyond the BodyThis 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 4.28.10? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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