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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

6.16.31 6.16.33

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.16.32

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

स उत्तमश्लोकपदाब्जविष्टरं

प्रेमाश्रुलेशैरुपमेहयन्मुहु: ।

प्रेमोपरुद्धाखिलवर्णनिर्गमो

नैवाशकत्तं प्रसमीडितुं चिरम् ॥ ३२ ॥

sa uttamaśloka-padābja-viṣṭaraṁ

premāśru-leśair upamehayan muhuḥ

premoparuddhākhila-varṇa-nirgamo

naivāśakat taṁ prasamīḍituṁ ciram

Translation

With tears of love and affection, Citraketu repeatedly moistened the resting place of the Supreme Lord’s lotus feet. Because his voice was choked in ecstasy, for a considerable time he was unable to utter any of the letters of the alphabet to offer the Lord suitable prayers.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Offer Your Words and Talents in Service

1
All letters and the words formed from them are meant for offering prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
2
Whatever abilities we have, their perfection is to engage them in the Lord’s service and describe His glories.
3
Citraketu wanted to offer suitable prayers, but his voice was choked with loving ecstasy. He had to wait before he could express his devotion in words.

Key points from the purport

All the letters of the alphabet and the words constructed by those letters are meant for offering prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Mahārāja Citraketu had the opportunity to offer prayers to the Lord by composing nice verses from the letters of the alphabet, but because of his ecstasy, for a considerable time he could not join those letters to offer prayers to the Lord.
If one has scientific, philosophical, political, economic or any other abilities and wants perfection in his knowledge, he should offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by composing first-class poetry or engaging his talents in the service of the Lord.

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· 1

The purport of SB 6.16.32 quotesSB 1.5.22

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.22): If one has scientific, philosophical, political, economic or any other abilities and wants perfection in his knowledge, he should offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by composing first-class poetry or engaging his talents in the service of the Lord.

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:

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 summary Back to this verse in chapter 6.16

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

saḥhe
uttamaślokaof the Supreme Personality of Godhead
pada-abjaof the lotus feet
viṣṭaramthe resting place
prema-aśruof tears of pure love
leśaiḥby drops
upamehayanmoistening
muhuḥagain and again

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
Prema · Transcendental love
The intimacy and sweetness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. · Theme in SB 6.16
In this verse: “love”, “ecstasy”
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 6.16
In this verse: “devotion”

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which of your abilities could you use in the Lord’s service?

Practice

Write two simple lines of prayer, offering one of your talents in the Lord’s 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 1.5.22

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

Live this todayOffer Your Words and Talents in ServiceThis 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 6.16.32? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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