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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 29: Talks Between Nārada and King Prācīnabarhi
4.29.42-444.29.46

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.29.45

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
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

शब्दब्रह्मणि दुष्पारे चरन्त उरुविस्तरे ।

मन्त्रलिङ्गैर्व्यवच्छिन्नं भजन्तो न विदु: परम् ॥ ४५ ॥

śabda-brahmaṇi duṣpāre

caranta uru-vistare

mantra-liṅgair vyavacchinnaṁ

bhajanto na viduḥ param

Translation

Despite the cultivation of Vedic knowledge, which is unlimited, and the worship of different demigods by the symptoms of Vedic mantras, demigod worship does not help one to understand the supreme powerful Personality of Godhead.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Material Opulence Cannot Reveal the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    Material desires lead people to worship demigods for particular powers and benefits. Each demigod has a particular power.

  2. 2

    Through such worship, people seeking material results may obtain riches, animals, followers and other forms of opulence.

  3. 3

    Neither this material opulence nor demigod worship enables one to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even extensive cultivation of Vedic knowledge does not make such worship sufficient.

Key points from the purport
  • All these demigods are worshiped in the Vedic hymns through a symbolic weapon.
  • By such worship, karmīs may obtain the benediction of material opulence in the form of animals, riches, beautiful wives, many followers, and so on.
  • By such material opulence, however, one cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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 4.29.45 quotesBG 7.20

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.20): “Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.”

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. śabda-brahmaṇiin the Vedic literature
  2. duṣpāreunlimited
  3. carantaḥbeing engaged
  4. urugreatly
  5. vistareexpansive
  6. mantraof Vedic hymns
  7. liṅgaiḥby the symptoms
  8. vyavacchinnampartially powerful (the demigods)
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 4.29

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “understand”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “worship”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “material”

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 more interested in gaining material benefits than in understanding the Supreme Lord?

Practice

Identify one material benefit you seek through worship, and reflect on why obtaining it would not itself reveal the Supreme Lord.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayMaterial Opulence Cannot Reveal the Supreme LordThis 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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