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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
  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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.17.15

Who is speaking and story frame

अत: पापीयसीं योनिमासुरीं याहि दुर्मते ।

यथेह भूयो महतां न कर्ता पुत्र किल्बिषम् ॥ १५ ॥

ataḥ pāpīyasīṁ yonim

āsurīṁ yāhi durmate

yatheha bhūyo mahatāṁ

na kartā putra kilbiṣam

Translation

O impudent one, my dear son, now take birth in a low, sinful family of demons so that you will not commit such an offense again toward exalted, saintly persons in this world.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Protect Devotion by Avoiding Offenses

  1. 1

    An offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava is compared to a mad elephant destroying a garden. Such an offense can halt one’s entire spiritual career.

  2. 2

    A pure Vaiṣṇava should carefully perform his own duty without criticizing others. This is the safest way to avoid offending a Vaiṣṇava.

  3. 3

    Surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, includes surrendering to His devotees. One cannot properly serve Kṛṣṇa without serving His devotee.

Key points from the purport
  • One should therefore be very careful not to commit offenses at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava.
  • Therefore mother Pārvatī spoke to Citraketu exactly like a mother who says to her naughty child, “My dear child, I am punishing you so that you won’t do anything like this again.”
  • It is to be understood that mother Durgā was justified in punishing Citraketu.

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 6.17.15 quotesBG 7.14

This is explained by Lord Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad-gītā (7.14): “This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome.

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

Further reading

Chapter 17: Mother Pārvatī Curses Citraketu

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Citraketu, however, was not at all afraid of Pārvatī’s curse, and thus he spoke as follows: “Everyone in human society enjoys happiness and distress according to his past deeds and in this way travels in the material world. Therefore no one is responsible for his happiness and distress.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.17
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ataḥtherefore
  2. pāpīyasīmmost sinful
  3. yonimto the species of life
  4. āsurīmdemoniac
  5. yāhigo
  6. durmateO impudent one
  7. yathāso that
  8. ihain this world
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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

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 6.17

    In this verse: “offense”, “offending”

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 6.17

    In this verse: “sinful”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 6.17

    In this verse: “devotees”

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

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I give more attention to serving devotees than to criticizing them?

Practice

Do one small, practical service for a devotee today without finding fault.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Connected stories

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

Live this todayProtect Devotion by Avoiding OffensesThis 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 6.17.15? Get an answer from the verses themselves.