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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
4.28.404.28.42

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.28.41

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:King Purañjanasince 4.28.21inside 5 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraNārada Muni → King PrācīnabarhiThe allegory of King Purañjana → Prācīnabarhi, as listener

साक्षाद्भगवतोक्तेन गुरुणा हरिणा नृप ।

विशुद्धज्ञानदीपेन स्फुरता विश्वतोमुखम् ॥ ४१ ॥

sākṣād bhagavatoktena

guruṇā hariṇā nṛpa

viśuddha-jñāna-dīpena

sphuratā viśvato-mukham

Translation

In this way King Malayadhvaja attained perfect knowledge because in his pure state he was directly instructed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By means of such enlightening transcendental knowledge, he could understand everything from all angles of vision.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Guides the Sincere Devotee

  1. 1

    The Lord sits in everyone’s heart as the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within. He gives understanding to those who constantly worship Him with love.

  2. 2

    At the beginning, the Lord guides a serious and sincere devotee toward a bona fide spiritual master. The spiritual master trains the devotee in the regulative principles of devotional service.

  3. 3

    Direct instructions from the Lord are given to advanced, pure devotees. Having reached this purified stage, Malayadhvaja received instructions from Him directly.

Key points from the purport
  • The Supreme Personality of Godhead speaks directly to the individual soul when the devotee has completely purified himself by rendering devotional service to the Lord.
  • In the beginning, when a devotee is serious and sincere, the Lord gives him directions from within to approach a bona fide spiritual master.
  • Having attained this stage, King Malayadhvaja was directly in touch with the Supreme Lord and was receiving instructions from Him directly.

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· 1

The purport of SB 4.28.41 quotesBG 10.10

Lord Kṛṣṇa confirms this also in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10): “To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.”

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 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. sākṣātdirectly
  2. bhagavatāby the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  3. uktenainstructed
  4. guruṇāthe spiritual master
  5. hariṇāby Lord Hari
  6. nṛpaO King
  7. viśuddhapure
  8. jñānaknowledge
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 4.28

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “understand”, “understanding”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotee”, “worship”

  • 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

Am I willing to receive training rather than assume that every inner feeling is the Lord’s instruction?

Practice

Review one instruction on devotional service from a bona fide spiritual master and identify how to follow it today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Guides the Sincere DevoteeThis 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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