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

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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
6.14.196.14.21

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.14.20

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The great sage Aṅgirāsince 6.14.17inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

यस्यात्मानुवशश्चेत्स्यात्सर्वे तद्वशगा इमे ।

लोका: सपाला यच्छन्ति सर्वे बलिमतन्द्रिता: ॥ २० ॥

yasyātmānuvaśaś cet syāt

sarve tad-vaśagā ime

lokāḥ sapālā yacchanti

sarve balim atandritāḥ

Translation

If the king’s mind is fully controlled, all his family members and governmental officers are subordinate to him. His provincial governors present taxes on time, without resistance, and what to speak of lesser servants?

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Self-Control Is Essential for Happiness

  1. 1

    Aṅgirā Ṛṣi asked whether the King's own mind was under control.

  2. 2

    The verse connects the King's controlled mind with the cooperation of his family, officials and governors. They fulfill their duties without resistance or delay.

  3. 3

    The purport emphasizes that control of the mind is most essential for happiness.

Key points from the purport
  • Aṅgirā Ṛṣi asked the King whether his mind was also under control.

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

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:

And among many millions of such liberated persons, one may become a devotee of Lord Nārāyaṇa. Therefore such devotees are extremely rare.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.14
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yasyaof whom
  2. ātmāmind
  3. anuvaśaḥunder control
  4. cetif
  5. syātmay be
  6. sarveall
  7. tat-vaśa-gāḥunder the control of him
  8. imethese
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 6.14

    In this verse: “king’s”, “governmental”, “king's”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

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

    In this verse: “duties”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Before expecting cooperation from others, how well am I governing my own mind?

Practice

Before giving an instruction today, pause and settle your mind so that you can speak calmly.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todaySelf-Control Is Essential for HappinessThis 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 6.14.20? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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