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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 30: The Activities of the Pracetās
4.30.194.30.21

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.30.20

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Lordsince 4.30.9inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

नव्यवद्धृदये यज्ज्ञो ब्रह्मैतद्ब्रह्मवादिभि: ।

न मुह्यन्ति न शोचन्ति न हृष्यन्ति यतो गता: ॥ २० ॥

navyavad dhṛdaye yaj jño

brahmaitad brahma-vādibhiḥ

na muhyanti na śocanti

na hṛṣyanti yato gatāḥ

Translation

Always engaging in the activities of devotional service, devotees feel ever-increasingly fresh and new in all their activities. The all-knower, the Supersoul within the heart of the devotee, makes everything increasingly fresh. This is known as the Brahman position by the advocates of the Absolute Truth. In such a liberated stage [brahma-bhūta], one is never bewildered. Nor does one lament or become unnecessarily jubilant. This is due to the brahma-bhūta situation.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Makes Devotional Service Fresh

  1. 1

    The Supersoul within the heart inspires the devotee to advance in devotional service in varied ways. By His grace, service becomes increasingly fresh rather than stagnant.

  2. 2

    Unlike repetition of a material name, chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra brings ever-new spiritual pleasure. An advanced devotee finds nothing uninspiring in devotional service.

  3. 3

    The Supersoul knows the past, present and future. He guides the sincere, unalloyed devotee toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead, increasing the devotee’s spiritual bliss in service.

Key points from the purport
  • A devotee is inspired by the Supersoul within the heart to advance in devotional service in a variety of ways.
  • Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī in this connection says that the Supersoul, the plenary expansion of the Personality of Godhead, exists in everyone’s heart, but in the heart of the devotee He reveals Himself as ever-increasingly new.
  • Being inspired by Him, the devotee experiences increased transcendental bliss in the execution of his devotional service.

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 4.30.20 quotesBG 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

Search → Devotional resolution. Prayer and instruction redirect household and societal life.

Chapters 30–31 of Canto 4: Pracetās and Nārada's concluding guidance. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 30: The Activities of the Pracetās

The Lord appears to the Pracetās, who pray only for His satisfaction; Brahmā later pacifies them.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.30
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. navya-vatever-increasingly fresh
  2. hṛdayein the heart
  3. yatas
  4. jñaḥthe supreme knower, Paramātmā
  5. brahmaBrahman
  6. etatthis
  7. brahma-vādibhiḥby the advocates of the Absolute Truth
  8. nanever
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.30

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotees”, “devotee”

  • Viraha · Longing in separation

    Love and remembrance experienced in apparent absence. · Theme in SB 4.30

    In this verse: “lament”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 4.30

    In this verse: “absolute truth”

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 can I approach my devotional practice with more sincerity and love today?

Practice

Spend a few attentive minutes chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, seeking the Lord’s guidance in devotional service.

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 25 lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 25 lectures

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 todayThe Lord Makes Devotional Service FreshThis 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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