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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
4.30.254.30.27

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.30.26

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Pracetāssince 4.30.22inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

नम: कमलकिञ्जल्कपिशङ्गामलवाससे ।

सर्वभूतनिवासाय नमोऽयुङ्‌क्ष्महि साक्षिणे ॥ २६ ॥

namaḥ kamala-kiñjalka-

piśaṅgāmala-vāsase

sarva-bhūta-nivāsāya

namo ’yuṅkṣmahi sākṣiṇe

Translation

Dear Lord, the garment You have put on is yellowish in color, like the saffron of a lotus flower, but it is not made of anything material. Since You live in everyone’s heart, You are the direct witness of all the activities of all living entities. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You again and again.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Knows Our Desires

  1. 1

    The Lord’s yellow garment is spiritual, never material. His garments are nondifferent from Him.

  2. 2

    Lord Viṣṇu lives in everyone’s heart and directly witnesses every activity. He knows our desires and gives us facilities to act according to them.

  3. 3

    When a devotee wants to serve the Supreme Lord, the Lord as Paramātmā gives intelligence to progress in devotional service. Remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness come from Him.

Key points from the purport
  • The word sarva-bhūta-nivāsāya further clarifies how Lord Viṣṇu lives in everyone’s heart and acts as the direct witness of all the activities of the conditioned soul.
  • The Lord is present in everyone’s heart, and He gives the living entity intelligence.
  • The Supreme Lord gives us the facilities to act in the way we wish.

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 4.30.26 quotesBG 15.15

This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15): “I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.”

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. namaḥobeisances
  2. kamala-kiñjalkalike the saffron in a lotus flower
  3. piśaṅgayellowish
  4. amalaspotless
  5. vāsaseunto Him whose garment
  6. sarva-bhūtaof all living entities
  7. nivāsāyathe shelter
  8. namaḥobeisances
  9. ayuṅkṣmahilet us offer
  10. sākṣiṇeunto the supreme witness
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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

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

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

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.30

    In this verse: “material”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

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

    In this verse: “knowledge”

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 desire for service would I like to cultivate, knowing that the Lord sees my heart?

Practice

Before one act of devotional service today, ask the Lord within your heart for intelligence to serve Him.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Knows Our DesiresThis 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 4.30.26? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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