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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 5.4.8

Who is speaking and story frame

अथ ह भगवानृषभदेव: स्ववर्षं कर्मक्षेत्रमनुमन्यमान: प्रदर्शितगुरुकुलवासो लब्धवरैर्गुरुभिरनुज्ञातो गृहमेधिनां धर्माननुशिक्षमाणो जयन्त्यामिन्द्रदत्तायामुभयलक्षणं कर्म समाम्नायाम्नातमभियुञ्जन्नात्मजानामात्मसमानानां शतं जनयामास ॥ ८ ॥

atha ha bhagavān ṛṣabhadevaḥ sva-varṣaṁ karma-kṣetram anumanyamānaḥ pradarśita-gurukula-vāso labdha-varair gurubhir anujñāto gṛhamedhināṁ dharmān anuśikṣamāṇo jayantyām indra-dattāyām ubhaya-lakṣaṇaṁ karma samāmnāyāmnātam abhiyuñjann ātmajānām ātma-samānānāṁ śataṁ janayām āsa.

Translation

After Nābhi Mahārāja departed for Badarikāśrama, the Supreme Lord, Ṛṣabhadeva, understood that His kingdom was His field of activities. He therefore showed Himself as an example and taught the duties of a householder by first accepting brahmacarya under the direction of spiritual masters. He also went to live at the spiritual masters’ place, gurukula. After His education was finished, He gave gifts (guru-dakṣiṇā) to His spiritual masters and then accepted the life of a householder. He took a wife named Jayantī and begot one hundred sons who were as powerful and qualified as He Himself. His wife Jayantī had been offered to Him by Indra, the King of heaven. Ṛṣabhadeva and Jayantī performed householder life in an exemplary way, carrying out ritualistic activities ordained by the śruti and smṛti śāstra.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Teach Devotion Through Your Own Example

  1. 1

    Although Ṛṣabhadeva was the all-knowing Supreme Lord, He attended gurukula to show how to learn from qualified Vedic teachers. One cannot truly teach others without practicing the teaching oneself.

  2. 2

    Ṛṣabhadeva lived as an ideal householder with Jayantī, following śruti and smṛti. He also taught His sons how to become perfect in spiritual life.

  3. 3

    Spiritual practice must follow the instructions of Vedic literature rather than disregard them. Everyone should advance in worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and ultimately return home, back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • Being an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ṛṣabhadeva had nothing to do with material affairs.
  • Ṛṣabhadeva was an ideal king, and He took His education in the gurukula, although He was already educated because the Supreme Lord is omniscient.
  • Although Ṛṣabhadeva had nothing to learn from gurukula, He went there just to teach the people in general how to take an education from the right source, from Vedic teachers.

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 4: The Characteristics of Ṛṣabhadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

To follow social customs, Lord Ṛṣabhadeva for a while became a student in the gurukula, and after returning, He followed the orders of His guru and accepted a wife named Jayantī, who had been given to Him by the King of heaven, Indra. He begot a hundred sons in the womb of Jayantī.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.4
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. athathereupon (after the departure of his father)
  2. haindeed
  3. bhagavānthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  4. ṛṣabha-devaḥṚṣabhadeva
  5. svaHis own
  6. varṣamkingdom
  7. karma-kṣetramthe field of activities
  8. anumanyamānaḥaccepting as
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 5.4

    In this verse: “duties”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 5.4

    In this verse: “kingdom”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 5.4

    In this verse: “householder”

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

Does my own conduct reflect the spiritual principles I encourage others to follow?

Practice

Choose one spiritual instruction you have received and put it into practice today before advising anyone else about it.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayTeach Devotion Through Your Own ExampleThis 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 5.4.8? Get an answer from the verses themselves.