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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
4.29.54.29.7

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.29.6

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 4.29.5inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraNārada Muni → King Prācīnabarhi

सखाय इन्द्रियगणा ज्ञानं कर्म च यत्कृतम् ।

सख्यस्तद्वृत्तय: प्राण: पञ्चवृत्तिर्यथोरग: ॥ ६ ॥

sakhāya indriya-gaṇā

jñānaṁ karma ca yat-kṛtam

sakhyas tad-vṛttayaḥ prāṇaḥ

pañca-vṛttir yathoragaḥ

Translation

The five working senses and the five senses that acquire knowledge are all male friends of Purañjanī. The living entity is assisted by these senses in acquiring knowledge and engaging in activity. The engagements of the senses are known as girlfriends, and the serpent, which was described as having five heads, is the life air acting within the five circulatory processes.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Senses and Life Air Explained

  1. 1

    The five working senses and five knowledge-acquiring senses are represented as Purañjanī’s male friends. Their engagements are represented as girlfriends.

  2. 2

    Because the living entity desires material enjoyment, he receives gross and subtle bodies. The senses are called friends because they serve as instruments for enjoying the material world.

  3. 3

    The five-headed serpent represents the life air functioning as prāṇa, apāna, udāna, vyāna and samāna. The five sense objects are form, taste, sound, smell and touch.

Key points from the purport
  • Because of his desire to enjoy the material world, the living entity is dressed with the material gross and subtle bodies.
  • Sometimes, because of too much sinful activity, the living entity does not get a material gross body, but hovers on the subtle platform.
  • Thus the presence of a ghost is horrible for those who are living in the gross body.

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 4.29.6 quotesBG 15.10

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (15.10): “The foolish cannot understand how a living entity can quit his body, nor can they understand what sort of body he enjoys under the spell of the modes of nature.

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. sakhāyaḥthe male friends
  2. indriya-gaṇāḥthe senses
  3. jñānamknowledge
  4. karmaactivity
  5. caalso
  6. yat-kṛtamdone by the senses
  7. sakhyaḥfemale friends
  8. tatof the senses
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”, “knowledge-acquiring”

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 4.29

    In this verse: “friends”

  • 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

How do my senses assist my desire to enjoy material objects?

Practice

During one ordinary activity today, identify which of the five sense objects is attracting your attention.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todaySenses and Life Air ExplainedThis 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 4.29.6? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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