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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
4.30.364.30.38

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.30.37

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

तेषां विचरतां पद्‌भ्यां तीर्थानां पावनेच्छया ।

भीतस्य किं न रोचेत तावकानां समागम: ॥ ३७ ॥

teṣāṁ vicaratāṁ padbhyāṁ

tīrthānāṁ pāvanecchayā

bhītasya kiṁ na roceta

tāvakānāṁ samāgamaḥ

Translation

Dear Lord, Your personal associates, devotees, wander all over the world to purify even the holy places of pilgrimage. Is not such activity pleasing to those who are actually afraid of material existence?

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Traveling Devotees Purify and Uplift the World

  1. 1

    A bhajanānandī generally stays in one place, engaged in devotional service. A goṣṭhyānandī travels to increase the number of devotees and purify the world and its people.

  2. 2

    Lord Caitanya wanted His followers to spread His message in every town and village. The more devotees share the words of Kṛṣṇa and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the more people benefit.

  3. 3

    A pure devotee carries the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart and therefore purifies even holy places. Everyone should take advantage of such association to become free from material contamination.

Key points from the purport
  • The goṣṭhyānandī is one who desires to increase the number of devotees all over the world.
  • A devotee of the Lord is not even afraid of hell.
  • When a pure devotee goes to a place of pilgrimage, he desires to purify that holy place of pilgrimage.

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 4.30.37 quotesSB 6.17.28

For him heaven and hell are one and the same.”

The purport of SB 4.30.37 quotesSB 1.13.10

Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ-sthena gadā-bhṛtā: because the devotee always carries the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart, wherever he goes becomes a place of pilgrimage, a holy place for understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 10.86.52

Is not such activity pleasing to those who are actually afraid of material existence?”

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. teṣāmof them
  2. vicaratāmwho travel
  3. padbhyāmby their feet
  4. tīrthānāmthe holy places
  5. pāvana-icchayāwith a desire to purify
  6. bhītasyato the materialistic person who is always fearful
  7. kimwhy
  8. nanot
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: “devotees”, “devotional service”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 4.30

    In this verse: “purify”, “contamination”

  • Moha · Material attachment

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

    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 can I take advantage of devotees who share the Lord’s message?

Practice

Share one teaching from this verse with someone willing to hear about devotional service.

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 4.30's connections

Live this todayTraveling Devotees Purify and Uplift the WorldThis 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 4.30.37? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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