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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 ›
Canto 6 · Chapter 17: Mother Pārvatī Curses Citraketu
6.17.86.17.10

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.17.9

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 6.17.9inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीशुक उवाच

भगवानपि तच्छ्रुत्वा प्रहस्यागाधधीर्नृप ।

तूष्णीं बभूव सदसि सभ्याश्च तदनुव्रता: ॥ ९ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca

bhagavān api tac chrutvā

prahasyāgādha-dhīr nṛpa

tūṣṇīṁ babhūva sadasi

sabhyāś ca tad-anuvratāḥ

Translation

Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, after hearing Citraketu’s statement, Lord Śiva, the most powerful personality, whose knowledge is fathomless, simply smiled and remained silent, and all the members of the assembly followed the lord by not saying anything.

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Understand Purpose Before Responding

  1. 1

    Lord Śiva is the most exalted Vaiṣṇava, and his outward behavior could not diminish his exalted position.

  2. 2

    Citraketu wanted others to be saved from imitating or criticizing Lord Śiva and becoming offenders. Considering this, he spoke somewhat harshly.

  3. 3

    Lord Śiva understood Citraketu’s purpose and was not angry; he smiled and remained silent. The assembly understood as well and followed his example.

Key points from the purport
  • Citraketu’s purpose in criticizing Lord Śiva is somewhat mysterious and cannot be understood by a common man.
  • Lord Śiva, who is always deep in knowledge, could understand Citraketu’s purpose, and therefore he was not at all angry; rather, he simply smiled and remained silent.
  • The members of the assembly surrounding Lord Śiva could also understand Citraketu’s purpose.

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 6.17.9 quotesBG 3.21

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (3.21): “Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow.

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:

After personally talking with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, King Citraketu enjoyed life in his airplane with the women of the Vidyādhara planet. Engaging in the congregational chanting of the glories of the Lord, he began flying his plane and traveling in outer space.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.17
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-śukaḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
  2. bhagavānLord Śiva
  3. apialso
  4. tatthat
  5. śrutvāhearing
  6. prahasyasmiling
  7. agādha-dhīḥwhose intelligence is unfathomed
  8. nṛpaO King
3

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

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 6.17

    In this verse: “knowledge”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 6.17

    In this verse: “hearing”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 6.17

    In this verse: “king”

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 might understanding someone’s purpose change your response to harsh words?

Practice

If a remark troubles you today, pause before replying and consider what the speaker may have intended.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

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 todayUnderstand Purpose Before RespondingThis 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 6.17.9? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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