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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.29.55

Who is speaking and story frame

स त्वं विचक्ष्य मृगचेष्टितमात्मनोऽन्त-

श्चित्तं नियच्छ हृदि कर्णधुनीं च चित्ते ।

जह्यङ्गनाश्रममसत्तमयूथगाथं

प्रीणीहि हंसशरणं विरम क्रमेण ॥ ५५ ॥

sa tvaṁ vicakṣya mṛga-ceṣṭitam ātmano ’ntaś

cittaṁ niyaccha hṛdi karṇa-dhunīṁ ca citte

jahy aṅganāśramam asattama-yūtha-gāthaṁ

prīṇīhi haṁsa-śaraṇaṁ virama krameṇa

Translation

My dear King, just try to understand the allegorical position of the deer. Be fully conscious of yourself, and give up the pleasure of hearing about promotion to heavenly planets by fruitive activity. Give up household life, which is full of sex, as well as stories about such things, and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the mercy of the liberated souls. In this way, please give up your attraction for material existence.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Take Shelter and Gradually Become Detached

  1. 1

    Fruitive activities and mental speculation cannot give real happiness. Nārada urges the King to give up attraction to heavenly pleasures and household life centered on sense enjoyment.

  2. 2

    A bona fide spiritual master has understood the scriptures and taken complete shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Through his training and instruction, one gradually becomes detached from worldly life.

  3. 3

    Association with saintly persons is the real necessity. Material comforts may be accepted without attachment when used in relation to Kṛṣṇa to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Key points from the purport
  • The paramahaṁsa-āśrama is the āśrama of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, under whom the spiritual master has taken shelter.
  • One cannot give up this abominable association through one’s own effort, but if one takes shelter of a bona fide spiritual master who is a paramahaṁsa, he will gradually be elevated to the platform of spiritual life.
  • One should take shelter of a bona fide liberated soul, the spiritual master, and gradually elevate himself to the spiritual platform and thus become detached from the material world.

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 4.29.55 quotesSB 11.3.21

The symptoms of the bona fide spiritual master are stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.3.21): “Any person who is seriously desirous of achieving real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation.

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. saḥthat very person
  2. tvamyou
  3. vicakṣyaconsidering
  4. mṛga-ceṣṭitamthe activities of the deer
  5. ātmanaḥof the self
  6. antaḥwithin
  7. cittamconsciousness
  8. niyacchafix
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: “household”, “material”, “attachment”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 4.29

    In this verse: “give up”, “detached”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “understand”

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 seeking spiritual guidance for material enjoyment or for freedom from material attachment?

Practice

Set aside five minutes today to carefully read an instruction of a bona fide spiritual master about becoming detached.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

Quoted in 1 lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 1 lecture

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayTake Shelter and Gradually Become DetachedThis 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 4.29.55? Get an answer from the verses themselves.