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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.28.51
तत्र पूर्वतर: कश्चित्सखा ब्राह्मण आत्मवान् ।
सान्त्वयन् वल्गुना साम्ना तामाह रुदतीं प्रभो ॥ ५१ ॥
tatra pūrvataraḥ kaścit
sakhā brāhmaṇa ātmavān
sāntvayan valgunā sāmnā
tām āha rudatīṁ prabho
My dear King, one brāhmaṇa, who was an old friend of King Purañjana, came to that place and began to pacify the Queen with sweet words.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioThree study points drawn from the translation and purport.
Kṛṣṇa, in His Paramātmā feature, is everyone’s old friend within the heart. He advises the living entity to turn toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrender.
Serving the spiritual master’s instructions is called vāṇī-sevā. By sincerely following those instructions, a disciple associates with the Supreme Lord.
The Lord gives understanding to those who worship Him with love. For a pure devotee, devotional service is central, while liberation and material conveniences follow.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.
The purport of SB 4.28.51 quotesBG 2.41
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura states in his Bhagavad-gītā commentary on the verse vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana that one should serve the words of the spiritual master.
The purport of SB 4.28.51 quotesBG 10.10
This is also confirmed 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.
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
Purañjana’s city falls; he becomes a woman, and a brāhmaṇa recalls the soul’s forgotten spiritual friendship.
Back to this verse in chapter 4.28Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.
Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord
How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.28
In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotee”, “worship”
Prema · Transcendental love
The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 4.28
In this verse: “sweet”, “love”
Sakhya · Sacred friendship
The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 4.28
In this verse: “friend”
Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
Am I more eager to follow spiritual instructions than to seek a special vision of the Lord?
Review one instruction from the spiritual master and put it into practice in one concrete way.
The story this chapter belongs to.
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 4.28.51? Get an answer from the verses themselves.