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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

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
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

4.29.49 4.29.51

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.29.50

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

हरिर्देहभृतामात्मा स्वयं प्रकृतिरीश्वर: ।

तत्पादमूलं शरणं यत: क्षेमो नृणामिह ॥ ५० ॥

harir deha-bhṛtām ātmā

svayaṁ prakṛtir īśvaraḥ

tat-pāda-mūlaṁ śaraṇaṁ

yataḥ kṣemo nṛṇām iha

Translation

Śrī Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the Supersoul and guide of all living entities who have accepted material bodies within this world. He is the supreme controller of all material activities in material nature. He is also our best friend, and everyone should take shelter at His lotus feet. In doing so, one’s life will be auspicious.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Take Shelter of Your Best Friend

1
Śrī Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the Supersoul, guide and best friend of every living entity. Taking shelter at His lotus feet makes life auspicious.
2
Kṛṣṇa is seated in everyone’s heart, and from Him come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. To those who constantly serve Him with love, He gives the understanding by which they can come to Him.
3
The purpose of education is to understand Kṛṣṇa and His devotional service. Its perfect result is to fix the mind on His lotus feet and awaken love for Him.

Key points from the purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (18.61) it is said, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati: “The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna.”
The living entity is within the body, and the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is also there.
Everything is being directed by the Supersoul within the body; therefore the better part of valor is to take His direction and be happy.

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· 3

The purport of SB 4.29.50 quotesBG 18.61

In Bhagavad-gītā (18.61) it is said, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati: “The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna.”

The purport of SB 4.29.50 quotesBG 15.15

As Lord Kṛṣṇa states in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), He is controlling everything: “I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.”

The purport of SB 4.29.50 quotesBG 10.10

To take His directions, one needs to be a devotee, and 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.

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

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

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

hariḥŚrī Hari
deha-bhṛtāmof living entities who have accepted material bodies
ātmāthe Supersoul
svayamHimself
prakṛtiḥmaterial nature
īśvaraḥthe controller
tatHis
pāda-mūlamfeet

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
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.29
In this verse: “material”
Jñāna · Spiritual insight
Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 4.29
In this verse: “knowledge”, “understanding”
Sakhya · Sacred friendship
The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 4.29
In this verse: “friend”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can my learning help me develop love for Kṛṣṇa rather than simply gain material success?

Practice

Spend two minutes fixing your mind on Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet and asking for understanding to serve Him with love.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayTake Shelter of Your Best FriendThis 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 4.29.50? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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