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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 28: Purañjana Becomes a Woman in the Next Life
4.28.174.28.19

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.28.18

Ūti· What drives us to act
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

लोकान्तरं गतवति मय्यनाथा कुटुम्बिनी ।

वर्तिष्यते कथं त्वेषा बालकाननुशोचती ॥ १८ ॥

lokāntaraṁ gatavati

mayy anāthā kuṭumbinī

vartiṣyate kathaṁ tv eṣā

bālakān anuśocatī

Translation

King Purañjana was anxiously thinking, “Alas, my wife is encumbered by so many children. When I pass from this body, how will she be able to maintain all these family members? Alas, she will be greatly harassed by thoughts of family maintenance.”

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Remember Kṛṣṇa Beyond Family Anxiety

  1. 1

    Purañjana anxiously wondered how his wife would maintain their children after his death. His thoughts remained absorbed in her difficulties.

  2. 2

    The purport explains that strong attachment to an obedient wife can fill a husband's mind at death. Purañjana's absorption shows the spiritual danger of this attachment.

  3. 3

    Thinking of his wife instead of Kṛṣṇa would lead him to accept a woman's body rather than return home, back to Godhead. His material existence would therefore continue.

Key points from the purport
  • All these thoughts of one’s wife indicate that the King was overly engrossed with the thoughts of woman.
  • Generally a chaste woman becomes a very obedient wife.
  • If one thinks of his wife instead of Kṛṣṇa at the time of death, he will certainly not return home, back to Godhead, but will be forced to accept the body of a woman and thus begin another chapter of material existence.

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. loka-antaraminto a different life
  2. gatavati mayiwhen I am gone
  3. anāthābereft of husband
  4. kuṭumbinīsurrounded by all family members
  5. vartiṣyatewill exist
  6. kathamhow
  7. tuthen
  8. eṣāthis woman
  9. bālakānchildren
  10. anuśocatīlamenting about
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 4.28

    In this verse: “attachment”, “material”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 4.28

    In this verse: “danger”, “death”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 4.28

    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

Do my family concerns leave room for remembering Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

When a family worry arises today, pause briefly and deliberately remember Kṛṣṇa.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRemember Kṛṣṇa Beyond Family AnxietyThis 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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