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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
4.29.474.29.49

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.29.48

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

स्वं लोकं न विदुस्ते वै यत्र देवो जनार्दन: ।

आहुर्धूम्रधियो वेदं सकर्मकमतद्विद: ॥ ४८ ॥

svaṁ lokaṁ na vidus te vai

yatra devo janārdanaḥ

āhur dhūmra-dhiyo vedaṁ

sakarmakam atad-vidaḥ

Translation

Those who are less intelligent accept the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies as all in all. They do not know that the purpose of the Vedas is to understand one’s own home, where the Supreme Personality of Godhead lives. Not being interested in their real home, they are illusioned and search after other homes.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Return to Your Real Spiritual Home

  1. 1

    The purpose of the Vedas is to understand our real home, where the Supreme Personality of Godhead lives. The topmost spiritual planet is Kṛṣṇaloka, Goloka Vṛndāvana.

  2. 2

    Even reaching the highest material planet does not end repeated birth and death. One who attains the Lord’s abode does not take birth again.

  3. 3

    Devotional service, beginning with hearing, is the way to return home, back to Godhead. In this age, chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra can purify one of material contamination and lead to the supreme planet.

Key points from the purport
  • Generally people are not aware of their interest in life — to return home, back to Godhead.
  • The real attempt should now be to return home, back to Godhead.
  • Yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām: those who engage in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead return home, back to 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· 2

The purport of SB 4.29.48 quotesBG 8.16

This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (8.16): “From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place.

The purport of SB 4.29.48 quotesSB 12.3.51

This is also confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.3.51): One can go to the supreme planet (paraṁ vrajet) simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

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. svamown
  2. lokamabode
  3. nanever
  4. viduḥknow
  5. tesuch persons
  6. vaicertainly
  7. yatrawhere
  8. devaḥthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “illusioned”, “material”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “understand”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

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

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”

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

How much attention am I giving to learning about my real spiritual home?

Practice

Spend a few minutes today chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra with attention.

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.

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

Live this todayReturn to Your Real Spiritual HomeThis 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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