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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 29: Talks Between Nārada and King Prācīnabarhi
4.29.384.29.41

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 4.29.39-40

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 4.29.34inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraNārada Muni → King Prācīnabarhi

यत्र भागवता राजन् साधवो विशदाशया: ।

भगवद्गुणानुकथनश्रवणव्यग्रचेतस: ॥ ३९ ॥

तस्मिन्महन्मुखरिता मधुभिच्चरित्र-

पीयूषशेषसरित: परित: स्रवन्ति ।

ता ये पिबन्त्यवितृषो नृप गाढकर्णै-

स्तान्न स्पृशन्त्यशनतृड्भयशोकमोहा: ॥ ४० ॥

yatra bhāgavatā rājan

sādhavo viśadāśayāḥ

bhagavad-guṇānukathana-

śravaṇa-vyagra-cetasaḥ

tasmin mahan-mukharitā madhubhic-caritra-

pīyūṣa-śeṣa-saritaḥ paritaḥ sravanti

tā ye pibanty avitṛṣo nṛpa gāḍha-karṇais

tān na spṛśanty aśana-tṛḍ-bhaya-śoka-mohāḥ

Translation

My dear King, in the place where pure devotees live, following the rules and regulations and thus purely conscious and engaged with great eagerness in hearing and chanting the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in that place if one gets a chance to hear their constant flow of nectar, which is exactly like the waves of a river, one will forget the necessities of life, namely hunger and thirst, and become immune to all kinds of fear, lamentation and illusion.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Hear in the Association of Pure Devotees

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa consciousness becomes easy to cultivate where devotees live together and eagerly hear and chant the Lord’s glories. Hearing from pure devotees is like receiving a flowing river of nectar.

  2. 2

    Constant hearing and chanting raise one above the bodily conception. In this way one transcends the hunger, thirst, fear, lamentation and illusion associated with that conception.

  3. 3

    The secret of success is hearing from the right person. Association with pure devotees develops faith, attachment to the Lord and devotional service.

Key points from the purport
  • The cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is possible where great devotees live together and constantly engage in hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord.
  • In a holy place like Vṛndāvana, there are many devotees constantly engaged in chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord.
  • If one gets the chance to hear from pure devotees in such a place, allowing the constant flow of the river of nectar to come from the mouths of pure devotees, then the cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness becomes very easy.

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 4.29.39-40 quotesSB 3.25.25

Then real devotion and devotional service begin.”

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 29: Talks Between Nārada and King Prācīnabarhi

Nārada explains the allegory and devotional service; Prācīnabarhi leaves home to perform austerities.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.29
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yatrawhere
  2. bhāgavatāḥgreat devotees
  3. rājanO King
  4. sādhavaḥsaintly persons
  5. viśada-āśayāḥbroad-minded
  6. bhagavatof the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  7. guṇathe qualities
  8. anukathanato regularly recite
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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 4.29

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”, “chant”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.29

    In this verse: “illusion”, “attachment”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.29

    In this verse: “devotees”, “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

Am I eager to seek the association of those who faithfully glorify the Lord?

Practice

Listen attentively today to a short recording of Śrīla Prabhupāda speaking about the Lord’s glories.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 3.25.25

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 4.29's connections

Live this todayHear in the Association of Pure DevoteesThis 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 4.29.39-40? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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