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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

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
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

6.16.25 6.16.27

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.16.26

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 6.16.26inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीशुक उवाच

भक्तायैतां प्रपन्नाय विद्यामादिश्य नारद: ।

ययावङ्गिरसा साकं धाम स्वायम्भुवं प्रभो ॥ २६ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca

bhaktāyaitāṁ prapannāya

vidyām ādiśya nāradaḥ

yayāv aṅgirasā sākaṁ

dhāma svāyambhuvaṁ prabho

Translation

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Nārada, having become the spiritual master of Citraketu, instructed him fully in this prayer because Citraketu was fully surrendered. O King Parīkṣit, Nārada then left with the great sage Aṅgirā for the topmost planet, known as Brahmaloka.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Renunciation Opens the Heart to Devotion

1
Because Citraketu was fully surrendered, Nārada instructed him fully in the prayer. Aṅgirā had brought Nārada to mercifully teach him bhakti-yoga.
2
Attachment to material enjoyment prevents one from concentrating on devotional service. Understanding renunciation helped Citraketu understand bhakti-yoga.
3
Renunciation and devotional service support one another. Advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is characterized by increasing renunciation of material enjoyment.

Key points from the purport

When Aṅgirā had first come to visit King Citraketu, he did not bring Nārada with him.
However, after the death of Citraketu’s son, Aṅgirā brought Nārada to instruct King Citraketu about bhakti-yoga.
Nārada Muni is the father of devotional service, and therefore, just to bestow causeless mercy upon King Citraketu, Aṅgirā brought Nārada Muni to instruct the King.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 2

The purport of SB 6.16.26 quotesBG 2.44

This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (2.44): “In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination of devotional service to the Supreme Lord does not take place.”

The purport of SB 6.16.26 quotesSB 11.2.42

It is also said, bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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

Chapter 16: King Citraketu Meets the Supreme Lord

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Thereafter, Nārada Muni chanted prayers to Nārāyaṇa, who exists as catur-vyūha, and instructed Citraketu about the Supreme Lord, who creates, maintains and annihilates everything and who is the master of the material nature. After instructing King Citraketu in this way, he returned to Brahmaloka.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 6.16

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

śrī-śukaḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
bhaktāyaunto the devotee
etāmthis
prapannāyaunto one who fully surrendered
vidyāmtranscendental knowledge
ādiśyainstructing
nāradaḥthe great sage Nārada
yayauleft

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
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 6.16
In this verse: “attachment”, “material”
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 6.16
In this verse: “devotional service”, “bhakti-yoga”
Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership
Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 6.16
In this verse: “king”

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which attachment most often distracts your mind from devotional service?

Practice

Set aside one unnecessary material enjoyment today and use that time to study these instructions on devotional service.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 11.2.42

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 6.16's connections

Live this todayRenunciation Opens the Heart to DevotionThis 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 6.16.26? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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