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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 17: Mother Pārvatī Curses Citraketu

6.17.11 6.17.13

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.17.12

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:The goddess Pārvatīsince 6.17.11inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

न वेद धर्मं किल पद्मयोनि-

र्न ब्रह्मपुत्रा भृगुनारदाद्या: ।

न वै कुमार: कपिलो मनुश्च

ये नो निषेधन्त्यतिवर्तिनं हरम् ॥ १२ ॥

na veda dharmaṁ kila padmayonir

na brahma-putrā bhṛgu-nāradādyāḥ

na vai kumāraḥ kapilo manuś ca

ye no niṣedhanty ati-vartinaṁ haram

Translation

Alas, Lord Brahmā, who has taken his birth from the lotus flower, does not know the principles of religion, nor do the great saints like Bhṛgu and Nārada, nor the four Kumāras, headed by Sanat-kumāra. Manu and Kapila have also forgotten the religious principles. I suppose it to be because of this that they have not tried to stop Lord Śiva from behaving improperly.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Question Confidence in Your Own Judgment

1
Pārvatī pointed out that Lord Brahmā and great saints such as Bhṛgu and Nārada had not stopped Lord Śiva.
2
She also named the four Kumāras, headed by Sanat-kumāra, along with Manu and Kapila, as others who had not intervened.
3
Her suggestion that they had all forgotten religious principles was ironic. She was challenging the implication that Citraketu knew better than all of them.

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 17: Mother Pārvatī Curses Citraketu

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

One day while traveling like this, he wandered into the bowers of Sumeru Mountain, where he came upon Lord Śiva embracing Pārvatī, surrounded by an assembly of Siddhas, Cāraṇas and great sages. Seeing Lord Śiva in that situation, Citraketu laughed very loudly, but Pārvatī became very angry at him and cursed him.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 6.17

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

nanot
vedaknows
dharmamthe religious principles
kilaindeed
padma-yoniḥLord Brahmā
nanor
brahma-putrāḥthe sons of Lord Brahmā
bhṛguBhṛgu

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
Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct
Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 6.17
In this verse: “religion”, “principles”, “religious”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can the judgment of respected spiritual authorities help you reconsider your own certainty?

Practice

Recall one judgment you feel certain about and ask whether you have considered the understanding of respected spiritual authorities.

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.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 6.17's connections

Live this todayQuestion Confidence in Your Own JudgmentThis 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 6.17.12? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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