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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 6: Brahmā Satisfies Lord Śiva
4.6.294.6.31

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.6.30

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Conjecturing on the origin of the storm, theysince 4.5.8inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

वनकुञ्जरसङ्घृष्टहरिचन्दनवायुना ।

अधि पुण्यजनस्त्रीणां मुहुरुन्मथयन्मन: ॥ ३० ॥

vana-kuñjara-saṅghṛṣṭa-

haricandana-vāyunā

adhi puṇyajana-strīṇāṁ

muhur unmathayan manaḥ

Translation

All these atmospheric influences unsettled the forest elephants who flocked together in the sandalwood forest, and the blowing wind agitated the minds of the damsels there for further sexual enjoyment.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Spiritual Enjoyment Surpasses Material Pleasure

  1. 1

    A pleasant material atmosphere can awaken sexual desire in materialistic minds. This tendency exists on earth and in the higher planetary systems.

  2. 2

    The spiritual world has far greater beauty and better surroundings, yet its inhabitants’ minds are not agitated. They are absorbed in chanting the glories of the Lord.

  3. 3

    Their spiritual enjoyment cannot be surpassed by material pleasure. In the presence of this higher enjoyment, sexual pleasure becomes insignificant.

Key points from the purport
  • Whenever there is a nice atmosphere in the material world, immediately there is an awakening of the sexual appetite in the minds of materialistic persons.
  • In complete contrast with the influence of this atmosphere on the minds of the living entities within the material world is the description of the spiritual world.
  • The women there are hundreds and thousands of times more beautiful than the women here in this material world, and the spiritual atmosphere is also many times better.

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 4.6.30 quotesBG 2.59

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (2.59), paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate: the inhabitants of Vaikuṇṭha are so spiritually enlightened that in the presence of such spirituality sex life is insignificant.

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

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 6: Brahmā Satisfies Lord Śiva

Brahmā and the demigods approach Lord Śiva, asking him to show mercy.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.6
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. vana-kuñjaraby wild elephants
  2. saṅghṛṣṭarubbed against
  3. haricandanathe sandalwood trees
  4. vāyunāby the breeze
  5. adhifurther
  6. puṇyajana-strīṇāmof the wives of the Yakṣas
  7. muhuḥagain and again
  8. unmathayatagitating
  9. manaḥthe minds
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 4.6

    In this verse: “material”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 4.6

    In this verse: “chanting”

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 give more attention to the pleasure of chanting the Lord’s glories?

Practice

Spend five minutes chanting the Lord’s glories, gently returning your attention whenever it wanders.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todaySpiritual Enjoyment Surpasses Material PleasureThis 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 4.6.30? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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