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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
4.7.334.7.35

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.7.34

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The sagessince 4.7.34inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

ऋषय ऊचु:

अनन्वितं ते भगवन् विचेष्टितं

यदात्मना चरसि हि कर्म नाज्यसे ।

विभूतये यत उपसेदुरीश्वरीं

न मन्यते स्वयमनुवर्ततीं भवान् ॥ ३४ ॥

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ

ananvitaṁ te bhagavan viceṣṭitaṁ

yad ātmanā carasi hi karma nājyase

vibhūtaye yata upasedur īśvarīṁ

na manyate svayam anuvartatīṁ bhavān

Translation

The sages prayed: Dear Lord, Your activities are most wonderful, and although You do everything by Your different potencies, You are not at all attached to such activities. You are not even attached to the goddess of fortune, who is worshiped by the great demigods like Brahmā, who pray to achieve her mercy.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Is Self-Sufficient and Unattached

  1. 1

    The Lord has no need to perform activities or gain results from them. Still, He sometimes acts wonderfully to set an example for people.

  2. 2

    Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, always serves the Lord, yet He is not attached to her. Even great demigods seek her favor.

  3. 3

    The Lord is self-sufficient and remains unattached to everything He does. He is unlike ordinary living entities, who become attached to the results of pious activities.

Key points from the purport
  • In Bhagavad-gītā it is said that the Lord has no desire to achieve any result from His wonderful activities, nor has He any need to perform them.
  • Even great demigods like Brahmā worship the goddess of fortune in order to win her favor, but although the Lord is worshiped by many hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune, He is not at all attached to any one of them.
  • This distinction concerning the exalted transcendental position of the Lord is specifically mentioned by the great sages: He is not like the ordinary living entity, who is attached to the results of pious activities.

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 4.7.34 quotesBG 4.14

Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti: although He acts very wonderfully, He is not at all attached to anything.

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 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. ṛṣayaḥthe sages
  2. ūcuḥprayed
  3. ananvitamwonderful
  4. teYour
  5. bhagavanO possessor of all opulences
  6. viceṣṭitamactivities
  7. yatwhich
  8. ātmanāby Your potencies
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

  • Kṛpā · Divine mercy

    Grace received beyond material calculations. · Theme in SB 4.7

    In this verse: “mercy”, “favor”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 4.7

    In this verse: “attached”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.7

    In this verse: “worshiped”

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 does the Lord’s self-sufficiency help me appreciate His position beyond ordinary living beings?

Practice

Read the sages’ prayer slowly and offer one sentence of appreciation for the Lord’s self-sufficiency.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Lord Is Self-Sufficient and UnattachedThis 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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