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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 7: The Sacrifice Performed by Dakṣa
4.7.204.7.22

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.7.21

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Maitreya Ṛṣisince 4.7.18inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

वक्षस्यधिश्रितवधूर्वनमाल्युदार

हासावलोककलया रमयंश्च विश्वम् ।

पार्श्वभ्रमद्वय‍जनचामरराजहंस:

श्वेतातपत्रशशिनोपरि रज्यमान: ॥ २१ ॥

vakṣasy adhiśrita-vadhūr vana-māly udāra-

hāsāvaloka-kalayā ramayaṁś ca viśvam

pārśva-bhramad-vyajana-cāmara-rāja-haṁsaḥ

śvetātapatra-śaśinopari rajyamānaḥ

Translation

Lord Viṣṇu looked extraordinarily beautiful because the goddess of fortune and a garland were situated on His chest. His face was beautifully decorated with a smiling attitude which can captivate the entire world, especially the devotees. Fans of white hair appeared on both sides of the Lord like white swans, and the white canopy overhead looked like the moon.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Lord Viṣṇu’s Beauty Captivates Everyone

  1. 1

    Lord Viṣṇu’s smiling face is pleasing to the whole world. Both devotees and nondevotees are attracted by His smile.

  2. 2

    The goddess of fortune and a garland adorned His chest. The white fans resembled swans, and the canopy overhead looked like the moon.

  3. 3

    His ornaments, hair and weapons together presented a grand and beautiful sight. His appearance captivated all the demigods present, including Dakṣa and Lord Brahmā.

Key points from the purport
  • The smiling face of Lord Viṣṇu is pleasing to the whole world.
  • This verse nicely describes how the sun, moon, eight-petaled lotus flower and humming black bees were represented by the fans of hair, the overhead canopy, the moving earrings on both sides of His face, and His blackish hair.
  • All together, accompanied by the conchshell, wheel, club, lotus flower, bow, arrows, shield and sword in His hands, these presented a grand and beautiful audience for Lord Viṣṇu which captivated all the demigods there, including Dakṣa and Lord Brahmā.

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 7: The Sacrifice Performed by Dakṣa

Lord Śiva is pacified, Dakṣa acknowledges his offense, and Lord Viṣṇu accepts the sacrifice.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.7
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. vakṣasion the chest
  2. adhiśritasituated
  3. vadhūḥa woman (the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī)
  4. vana-mālīgarlanded with forest flowers
  5. udārabeautiful
  6. hāsasmiling
  7. avalokaglance
  8. kalayāwith a small part
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 4.7

    In this verse: “devotees”

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

Which detail of Lord Viṣṇu’s beautiful appearance most draws your attention?

Practice

Spend one minute remembering Lord Viṣṇu’s smiling face as described here.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayLord Viṣṇu’s Beauty Captivates EveryoneThis 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 4.7.21? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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