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Canto 6 · Prescribed Duties for Mankind · 19 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.
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Canto 6 · Chapter 14: King Citraketu’s Lamentation
6.14.146.14.16

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.14.15

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 6.14.9inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

तं पूजयित्वा विधिवत्प्रत्युत्थानार्हणादिभि: ।

कृतातिथ्यमुपासीदत्सुखासीनं समाहित: ॥ १५ ॥

taṁ pūjayitvā vidhivat

pratyutthānārhaṇādibhiḥ

kṛtātithyam upāsīdat

sukhāsīnaṁ samāhitaḥ

Translation

Citraketu immediately stood up from his throne and offered him worship. He offered drinking water and eatables and in this way performed his duty as a host to a great guest. When the ṛṣi was seated very comfortably, the King, restraining his mind and senses, sat on the ground at the side of the ṛṣi’s feet.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Hospitality With Humility and Self-Control

  1. 1

    Citraketu immediately rose from his throne and offered worship to the sage.

  2. 2

    He offered drinking water and eatables, fulfilling his duty as host to a great guest.

  3. 3

    After seating the sage comfortably, the King restrained his mind and senses and sat on the ground beside the sage's feet.

How it feels

Parental grief → Detachment and surrender. A flashback discloses the devotional history behind Vṛtrāsura.

Chapters 14–17 of Canto 6: Citraketu's grief, realization and curse. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 14: King Citraketu’s Lamentation

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

This involves the story of Citraketu and how he was victimized by lamentation because of the death of his son. Among many millions of living entities, the number of human beings is extremely small, and among human beings who are actually religious, only some are eager to be liberated from material existence.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.14
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tamhim
  2. pūjayitvāafter worshiping
  3. vidhi-vataccording to the rules and regulations for receiving exalted guests
  4. pratyutthānaby standing from the throne
  5. arhaṇa-ādibhiḥoffering worship and so on
  6. kṛta-atithyamwho was given hospitality
  7. upāsīdatsat down near
  8. sukha-āsīnamwho was seated very comfortably
  9. samāhitaḥcontrolling his mind and senses
3

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

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 6.14

    In this verse: “worship”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 6.14

    In this verse: “duty”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 6.14

    In this verse: “king”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I make my welcome both practically helpful and genuinely humble?

Practice

Offer someone water and a comfortable seat today, giving them your undistracted attention.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayHospitality With Humility and Self-ControlThis 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 6.14.15? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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