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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
4.28.74.28.9

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.28.8

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

आत्मानं कन्यया ग्रस्तं पञ्चालानरिदूषितान् ।

दुरन्तचिन्तामापन्नो न लेभे तत्प्रतिक्रियाम् ॥ ८ ॥

ātmānaṁ kanyayā grastaṁ

pañcālān ari-dūṣitān

duranta-cintām āpanno

na lebhe tat-pratikriyām

Translation

When King Purañjana saw that all his family members, relatives, followers, servants, secretaries and everyone else had turned against him, he certainly became very anxious. But he could not counteract the situation because he was thoroughly overwhelmed by Kālakanyā.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Lost Control Deepens Anxiety

  1. 1

    Purañjana sees that his family, relatives and followers have turned against him. This makes him deeply anxious.

  2. 2

    Overwhelmed by Kālakanyā, he cannot counteract the situation. Old age has left him without the strength to change it.

  3. 3

    The purport describes the distress of an elderly person whose family and attendants no longer care for him. Unable to remedy his condition, he becomes increasingly anxious and laments.

Key points from the purport
  • When a person becomes weak from the attack of old age, the family members, servants and secretaries do not care for him.
  • Thus he becomes more and more anxious and laments his frightful condition.

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. ātmānamhimself
  2. kanyayāby Kālakanyā
  3. grastambeing embraced
  4. pañcālānPañcāla
  5. ari-dūṣitāninfected by the enemies
  6. durantainsurmountable
  7. cintāmanxiety
  8. āpannaḥhaving obtained
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”

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 4.28

    In this verse: “distress”

  • Viraha · Longing in separation

    Love and remembrance experienced in apparent absence. · Theme in SB 4.28

    In this verse: “laments”

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

What does Purañjana’s helplessness reveal about depending on others’ obedience or attention?

Practice

Give a few minutes of attentive listening to an elderly person today, without dismissing their concerns.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLost Control Deepens 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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