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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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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
4.6.464.6.48

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.6.47

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Lord Brahmāsince 4.6.42inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

पृथग्धिय: कर्मद‍ृशो दुराशया:

परोदयेनार्पितहृद्रुजोऽनिशम् ।

परान् दुरुक्तैर्वितुदन्त्यरुन्तुदा-

स्तान्मावधीद्दैववधान्भवद्विध: ॥ ४७ ॥

pṛthag-dhiyaḥ karma-dṛśo durāśayāḥ

parodayenārpita-hṛd-rujo ’niśam

parān duruktair vitudanty aruntudās

tān māvadhīd daiva-vadhān bhavad-vidhaḥ

Translation

Persons who observe everything with differentiation, who are simply attached to fruitive activities, who are mean-minded, who are always pained to see the flourishing condition of others and who thus give distress to them by uttering harsh and piercing words have already been killed by providence. Thus there is no need for them to be killed again by an exalted personality like you.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Answer Envy With Compassion

  1. 1

    Those attached to material profit cannot endure others' prosperity. Their bodily attachment and lack of self-realization keep their hearts full of anxiety.

  2. 2

    A Vaiṣṇava is distressed by others' suffering and seeks to revive their Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Rather than harming others through body or mind, devotees work compassionately and tolerantly for their deliverance.

  3. 3

    Humility, tolerance and respect for others enable constant chanting of the Lord's holy name. A Vaiṣṇava tolerates personal insults, but should not tolerate blasphemy of Viṣṇu or Vaiṣṇavas.

Key points from the purport
  • Persons who are materialistic and always engaged in fruitive activities for material profit cannot endure seeing the flourishing life of others.
  • Thus Lord Śiva, as a self-realized Vaiṣṇava, was advised not to kill Dakṣa.
  • Vaiṣṇavas, therefore, should not try to kill by any action of the body or mind but should try to revive the Kṛṣṇa consciousness of others out of compassion for them.

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 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. pṛthakdifferently
  2. dhiyaḥthose who are thinking
  3. karmafruitive activities
  4. dṛśaḥobserver
  5. durāśayāḥmean-minded
  6. para-udayenaby others’ flourishing condition
  7. arpitagiven up
  8. hṛtheart
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

  • Karuṇā · Compassion

    Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 4.6

    In this verse: “distress”, “compassionately”, “suffering”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.6

    In this verse: “attached”, “material”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

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

    In this verse: “chanting”, “holy name”

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

When someone behaves enviously, can you notice their distress rather than simply resent them?

Practice

Chant the Lord's holy name today while deliberately setting aside one personal insult and cultivating respect for others.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayAnswer Envy With CompassionThis 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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