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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 16: King Citraketu Meets the Supreme Lord
6.15.286.16.2

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.16.1

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 6.16.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitAṅgirā and Nārada Muni → King Citraketu

श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच

अथ देवऋषी राजन् सम्परेतं नृपात्मजम् ।

दर्शयित्वेति होवाच ज्ञातीनामनुशोचताम् ॥ १ ॥

śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca

atha deva-ṛṣī rājan

samparetaṁ nṛpātmajam

darśayitveti hovāca

jñātīnām anuśocatām

Translation

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King Parīkṣit, by his mystic power the great sage Nārada brought the dead son into the vision of all the lamenting relatives and then spoke as follows.

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.

Nārada Addresses the Grieving Relatives

  1. 1

    Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī describes this event to King Parīkṣit.

  2. 2

    By his mystic power, the great sage Nārada brought the dead son into the vision of all the relatives.

  3. 3

    The relatives were lamenting, and Nārada then spoke.

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 16: King Citraketu Meets the Supreme Lord

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

When Citraketu was appeased, the great sage Nārada gave him a mantra, and by chanting this mantra Citraketu found shelter at the lotus feet of Saṅkarṣaṇa. The living entity is eternal.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.16
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-bādarāyaṇiḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
  2. athathus
  3. deva-ṛṣiḥthe great sage Nārada
  4. rājanO King
  5. samparetamdead
  6. nṛpa-ātmajamthe son of the King
  7. darśayitvāmaking visible
  8. itithus
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 6.16

    In this verse: “king”

  • Viraha · Longing in separation

    Love and remembrance experienced in apparent absence. · Theme in SB 6.16

    In this verse: “lamenting”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

When grief feels overwhelming, how willing am I to listen?

Practice

Read the translation slowly, noticing the relatives’ grief and Nārada’s presence.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayNārada Addresses the Grieving RelativesThis 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 6.16.1? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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