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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 8: Dhruva Mahārāja Leaves Home for the Forest
4.8.444.8.46

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.8.45

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 4.8.43inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

प्रसादाभिमुखं शश्वत्प्रसन्नवदनेक्षणम् ।

सुनासं सुभ्रुवं चारुकपोलं सुरसुन्दरम् ॥ ४५ ॥

prasādābhimukhaṁ śaśvat

prasanna-vadanekṣaṇam

sunāsaṁ subhruvaṁ cāru-

kapolaṁ sura-sundaram

Translation

[The form of the Lord is described herein.] The Lord’s face is perpetually very beautiful and pleasing in attitude. To the devotees who see Him, He appears never to be displeased, and He is always prepared to award benedictions to them. His eyes, His nicely decorated eyebrows, His raised nose and His broad forehead are all very beautiful. He is more beautiful than all the demigods.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Meditate on the Lord’s Beautiful Form

  1. 1

    The Lord’s face is always beautiful and pleasing to His devotees. He is always prepared to award them benedictions.

  2. 2

    Meditation should concentrate on the Lord’s form rather than the impersonal feature. The purport explains that concentration on the impersonal is very troublesome.

  3. 3

    Every Viṣṇu form pertains to Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the original Viṣṇu form. Dhruva Mahārāja perfected meditation on the Lord’s personal form.

Key points from the purport
  • This verse clearly explains how one has to meditate on the form of the Lord.
  • But it is remarked by the Lord Himself that those who are attached to this impersonal feature of the Lord suffer a very troublesome task because no one can concentrate on the impersonal feature.
  • One has to concentrate on the form of the Lord, which is described here in connection with Dhruva Mahārāja’s meditation.

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

Rejection → Transformed aspiration. A child's wounded pride is purified by divine encounter.

Chapters 8–12 of Canto 4: Dhruva seeks and encounters the Lord. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 8: Dhruva Mahārāja Leaves Home for the Forest

Dhruva leaves home, receives Nārada’s instructions, and worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead with austerity.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.8
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. prasāda-abhimukhamalways prepared to offer causeless mercy
  2. śaśvatalways
  3. prasannapleasing
  4. vadanamouth
  5. īkṣaṇamvision
  6. su-nāsamvery nicely constructed nose
  7. su-bhruvamvery nicely decorated eyebrows
  8. cārubeautiful
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 4.8

    In this verse: “devotees”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does the description of the Lord’s pleasing face help me turn toward Him?

Practice

Reread the description of the Lord’s face, then spend one minute remembering those features.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayMeditate on the Lord’s Beautiful FormThis 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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