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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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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
4.29.744.29.76-77

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.29.75

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 4.29.60inside 4 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraNārada Muni → King Prācīnabarhi

अनेन पुरुषो देहानुपादत्ते विमुञ्चति ।

हर्षं शोकं भयं दु:खं सुखं चानेन विन्दति ॥ ७५ ॥

anena puruṣo dehān

upādatte vimuñcati

harṣaṁ śokaṁ bhayaṁ duḥkhaṁ

sukhaṁ cānena vindati

Translation

By virtue of the processes of the subtle body, the living entity develops and gives up gross bodies. This is known as the transmigration of the soul. Thus the soul becomes subjected to different types of so-called enjoyment, lamentation, fear, happiness and unhappiness.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Return to Spiritual Life Through Devotion

  1. 1

    Through the processes of the subtle body, the soul accepts and gives up gross bodies. This transmigration brings so-called enjoyment, lamentation, fear, happiness and unhappiness.

  2. 2

    Desires for material sense gratification pollute the mind and deepen material entanglement. Always thinking of Kṛṣṇa through devotional service restores one’s original spiritual existence.

  3. 3

    One should engage in the Lord’s devotional service, worship the Deity and offer obeisances to the spiritual master and the Deity. Understanding the soul’s passage from body to body requires authorized teaching received through disciplic succession.

Key points from the purport
  • According to this explanation, one can clearly understand that originally the living entity was as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in his pure, spiritual existence.
  • Thus he begins his material existence, which means that he transmigrates from one body to another and becomes more and more entangled in material existence.
  • Guided by so-called psychologists and philosophers, people in the modern age do not know of the activities of the subtle body and thus cannot understand what is meant by the transmigration of the soul.

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 4.29.75 quotesBG 18.65

I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.”

The purport of SB 4.29.75 quotesBG 4.2

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.2): “This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way.

The purport of SB 4.29.75 quotesBG 2.13

In these matters we have to take the authorized statements of Bhagavad-gītā (2.13): “As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death.

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. anenaby this process
  2. puruṣaḥthe living entity
  3. dehāngross bodies
  4. upādatteachieves
  5. vimuñcatigives up
  6. harṣamenjoyment
  7. śokamlamentation
  8. bhayamfear
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

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    In this verse: “sense gratification”, “material”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “worship”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 4.29

    In this verse: “fear”

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

What simple act of devotion can help me remember Kṛṣṇa today?

Practice

Offer a respectful bow to Kṛṣṇa today and ask to remain engaged in His devotional service.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayReturn to Spiritual Life Through DevotionThis 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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