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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.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 6 · Chapter 15: The Saints Nārada and Aṅgirā Instruct King Citraketu
6.15.276.16.1

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.15.28

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Nārada Munisince 6.15.27inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitAṅgirā and Nārada Muni → King Citraketu

यत्पादमूलमुपसृत्य नरेन्द्र पूर्वे

शर्वादयो भ्रममिमं द्वितयं विसृज्य ।

सद्यस्तदीयमतुलानधिकं महित्वं

प्रापुर्भवानपि परं न चिरादुपैति ॥ २८ ॥

yat-pāda-mūlam upasṛtya narendra pūrve

śarvādayo bhramam imaṁ dvitayaṁ visṛjya

sadyas tadīyam atulānadhikaṁ mahitvaṁ

prāpur bhavān api paraṁ na cirād upaiti

Translation

My dear King, in former days Lord Śiva and other demigods took shelter of the lotus feet of Saṅkarṣaṇa. Thus they immediately got free from the illusion of duality and achieved unequaled and unsurpassed glories in spiritual life. You will very soon attain that very same position.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Take Shelter of the Lord’s Lotus Feet

  1. 1

    Lord Śiva and other demigods took shelter of the lotus feet of Saṅkarṣaṇa. Their example emphasizes turning to the Lord for shelter.

  2. 2

    By taking that shelter, they immediately became free from the illusion of duality. They achieved unequaled and unsurpassed glories in spiritual life.

  3. 3

    Nārada assures the King that he will very soon attain that same position. His assurance encourages the King to take shelter of the Lord.

Key points from the purport
  • Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Sixth Canto, Fifteenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Saints Nārada and Aṅgirā Instruct King Citraketu.”

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 15: The Saints Nārada and Aṅgirā Instruct King Citraketu

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Self-realization means spiritual realization of one’s relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Such realization ends one’s miserable material life.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.15
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yat-pāda-mūlamthe lotus feet of whom (Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa)
  2. upasṛtyaobtaining shelter at
  3. nara-indraO King
  4. pūrveformerly
  5. śarva-ādayaḥgreat demigods like Lord Mahādeva
  6. bhramamillusion
  7. imamthis
  8. dvitayamconsisting of duality
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 6.15

    In this verse: “illusion”

  • Vairāgya · Freedom from attachment

    Release from possessiveness and false identities. · Theme in SB 6.15

    In this verse: “free from”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 6.15

    In this verse: “king”

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

How can the example of Lord Śiva and the other demigods strengthen my desire to take shelter of the Lord?

Practice

Offer a brief prayer today asking for shelter at the lotus feet of Saṅkarṣaṇa.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayTake Shelter of the Lord’s Lotus FeetThis 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 6.15.28? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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