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

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Canto 5 · The Creative Impetus · 26 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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 5.1.33

Who is speaking and story frame

क्षारोदेक्षुरसोदसुरोदघृतोदक्षीरोददधिमण्डोदशुद्धोदा: सप्त जलधय: सप्त द्वीपपरिखा इवाभ्यन्तरद्वीपसमाना एकैकश्येन यथानुपूर्वं सप्तस्वपि बहिर्द्वीपेषु पृथक्परित उपकल्पितास्तेषु जम्ब्वादिषु बर्हिष्मतीपतिरनुव्रतानात्मजानाग्नीध्रेध्मजिह्वयज्ञबाहुहिरण्यरेतोघृतपृष्ठमेधातिथिवीतिहोत्रसंज्ञान् यथा संख्येनैकैकस्मिन्नेकमेवाधिपतिं विदधे ॥ ३३ ॥

kṣārodekṣu-rasoda-suroda-ghṛtoda-kṣīroda-dadhi-maṇḍoda-śuddhodāḥ sapta jaladhayaḥ sapta dvīpa-parikhā ivābhyantara-dvīpa-samānā ekaikaśyena yathānupūrvaṁ saptasv api bahir dvīpeṣu pṛthak parita upakalpitās teṣu jambv-ādiṣu barhiṣmatī-patir anuvratānātmajān āgnīdhredhmajihva-yajñabāhu-hiraṇyareto-ghṛtapṛṣṭha-medhātithi-vītihotra-saṁjñān yathā-saṅkhyenaikaikasminn ekam evādhi-patiṁ vidadhe.

Translation

The seven oceans respectively contain salt water, sugarcane juice, liquor, clarified butter, milk, emulsified yogurt, and sweet drinking water. All the islands are completely surrounded by these oceans, and each ocean is equal in breadth to the island it surrounds. Mahārāja Priyavrata, the husband of Queen Barhiṣmatī, gave sovereignty over these islands to his respective sons, namely Āgnīdhra, Idhmajihva, Yajñabāhu, Hiraṇyaretā, Ghṛtapṛṣṭha, Medhātithi and Vītihotra. Thus they all became kings by the order of their father.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Oceans Surround Islands Entrusted to Sons

  1. 1

    The seven oceans contain salt water, sugarcane juice, liquor, clarified butter, milk, emulsified yogurt and sweet drinking water. Each completely surrounds its island.

  2. 2

    Each ocean has the same breadth as the island it surrounds, but not the same length. The purport calculates the first island’s breadth as 100,000 yojanas, or 800,000 miles.

  3. 3

    Priyavrata entrusted the islands respectively to Āgnīdhra, Idhmajihva, Yajñabāhu, Hiraṇyaretā, Ghṛtapṛṣṭha, Medhātithi and Vītihotra. These sons became kings by their father’s order.

Key points from the purport
  • It is to be understood that all the dvīpas, or islands, are surrounded by different types of oceans, and it is said herein that the breadth of each ocean is the same as that of the island it surrounds.
  • One yojana equals eight miles, and therefore the breadth of the first island is calculated to be 800,000 miles.
  • The water surrounding it must have the same breadth, but its length must be different.

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

Responsibility → Renunciation. Leadership is set beside the renounced ideal.

Chapters 1–6 of Canto 5: Priyavrata and Ṛṣabhadeva. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 1: The Activities of Mahārāja Priyavrata

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In the womb of Barhiṣmatī he begot ten sons, named Āgnīdhra, Idhmajihva, Yajñabāhu, Mahāvīra, Hiraṇyaretā, Ghṛtapṛṣṭha, Savana, Medhātithi, Vītihotra and Kavi. He also begot one daughter, whose name was Ūrjasvatī.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.1
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kṣārasalt
  2. udawater
  3. ikṣu-rasathe liquid extract from sugarcane
  4. udawater
  5. surāliquor
  6. udawater
  7. ghṛtaclarified butter
  8. udawater
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Sthāna · Planetary systems

    How is the universe arranged, and what is our right place in it? · Subject 3 of 10

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 5.1

    In this verse: “father”, “father’s”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 5.1

    In this verse: “kings”

  • Prema · Transcendental love

    The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 5.1

    In this verse: “sweet”

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

Can I distinguish what the text says about an ocean’s breadth from what it says about its length?

Practice

List the seven ocean substances in order, then note that each ocean matches its island in breadth.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayOceans Surround Islands Entrusted to SonsThis 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 5.1.33? Get an answer from the verses themselves.