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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
6.16.266.16.28

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.16.27

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 6.16.26inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

चित्रकेतुस्तु तां विद्यां यथा नारदभाषिताम् ।

धारयामास सप्ताहमब्भक्ष: सुसमाहित: ॥ २७ ॥

citraketus tu tāṁ vidyāṁ

yathā nārada-bhāṣitām

dhārayām āsa saptāham

ab-bhakṣaḥ susamāhitaḥ

Translation

Fasting and drinking only water, Citraketu for one week continuously chanted with great care and attention the mantra given by Nārada Muni.

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.

Chant With Care and Attention

  1. 1

    Citraketu chanted the mantra given to him by Nārada Muni.

  2. 2

    He continued this chanting for one week, giving it great care and attention.

  3. 3

    During this practice, Citraketu fasted and drank only water. The verse describes his concentrated commitment to the mantra.

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:

After being initiated by Nārada Muni, King Citraketu chanted the mahā-vidyā, and after one week he attained the presence of Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, who was surrounded by the four Kumāras. The Lord was nicely dressed in bluish garments, with a helmet and ornaments of gold.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.16
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. citraketuḥKing Citraketu
  2. tuindeed
  3. tāmthat
  4. vidyāmtranscendental knowledge
  5. yathājust as
  6. nārada-bhāṣitāminstructed by the great sage Nārada
  7. dhārayām āsachanted
  8. sapta-ahamcontinuously for one week
  9. ap-bhakṣaḥonly drinking water
  10. su-samāhitaḥwith great attention and care
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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 6.16

    In this verse: “chanted”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What could help you bring greater care and attention to chanting?

Practice

Set aside a brief, distraction-free time today for attentive chanting.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayChant With Care and AttentionThis 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 6.16.27? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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