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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 3: Talks Between Lord Śiva and Satī
4.3.144.3.16

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.3.15

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.3.15inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

ऋषिरुवाच

एवं गिरित्र: प्रिययाभिभाषित:

प्रत्यभ्यधत्त प्रहसन् सुहृत्प्रिय: ।

संस्मारितो मर्मभिद: कुवागिषून्

यानाह को विश्वसृजां समक्षत: ॥ १५ ॥

ṛṣir uvāca

evaṁ giritraḥ priyayābhibhāṣitaḥ

pratyabhyadhatta prahasan suhṛt-priyaḥ

saṁsmārito marma-bhidaḥ kuvāg-iṣūn

yān āha ko viśva-sṛjāṁ samakṣataḥ

Translation

The great sage Maitreya said: Lord Śiva, the deliverer of the hill Kailāsa, having thus been addressed by his dear wife, replied smilingly, although at the same time he remembered the malicious, heart-piercing speeches delivered by Dakṣa before the guardians of the universal affairs.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Material Sorrow and Spiritual Bliss Differ

  1. 1

    Lord Śiva remembered Dakṣa’s heart-piercing words and felt sorrow, yet smiled to please his wife.

  2. 2

    Although Lord Śiva is fully self-realized, he is in charge of tamo-guṇa, the material mode of ignorance, and is sometimes affected by material pleasure and pain.

  3. 3

    In the spiritual world, even apparent sorrow is full of transcendental bliss. Kṛṣṇa’s childhood tears are not a reaction of material ignorance.

Key points from the purport
  • When Lord Śiva heard from his wife about Dakṣa, the psychological effect was that he immediately remembered the strong words spoken against him in the assembly of the guardians of the universe, and, remembering those words, he was sorry at heart, although to please his wife he smiled.
  • The answer is given by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura: Lord Śiva is ātmārāma, or situated in complete self-realization, but because he is the incarnation in charge of the material mode of ignorance, tamo-guṇa, he is sometimes affected by the pleasure and pain of the material world.
  • Therefore because Lord Śiva, although a fully self-realized person, was in charge of the material mode of ignorance, he felt sorrow.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Humiliation and anger → Reconciliation. Relational offense leads to grief and destruction before restoration.

Chapters 1–7 of Canto 4: Dakṣa, Satī and Śiva. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 3: Talks Between Lord Śiva and Satī

Satī wishes to attend her father’s sacrifice; Lord Śiva warns her about envy and hurtful words.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.3
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ṛṣiḥ uvācathe great sage Maitreya said
  2. evamthus
  3. giritraḥLord Śiva
  4. priyayāby his dear wife
  5. abhibhāṣitaḥbeing spoken to
  6. pratyabhyadhattareplied
  7. prahasanwhile smiling
  8. suhṛt-priyaḥdear to the relatives
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Rakṣā · Divine protection

    Protection of devotees through the Lord’s intervention. · Theme in SB 4.3

    In this verse: “guardians”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.3

    In this verse: “material”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 4.3

    In this verse: “childhood”

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

Do I mistake the apparent sorrow in Kṛṣṇa’s activities for ordinary material suffering?

Practice

Reread the passage about Kṛṣṇa’s tears and reflect for a minute on their transcendental nature.

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 4.3's connections

Live this todayMaterial Sorrow and Spiritual Bliss DifferThis 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 4.3.15? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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