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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 19: Performing the Puṁsavana Ritualistic Ceremony
6.19.166.19.18

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.19.17

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 6.19.15inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

पतिं च परया भक्त्या महापुरुषचेतसा ।

प्रियैस्तैस्तैरुपनमेत् प्रेमशील: स्वयं पति: ।

बिभृयात् सर्वकर्माणि पत्‍न्या उच्चावचानि च ॥ १७ ॥

patiṁ ca parayā bhaktyā

mahāpuruṣa-cetasā

priyais tais tair upanamet

prema-śīlaḥ svayaṁ patiḥ

bibhṛyāt sarva-karmāṇi

patnyā uccāvacāni ca

Translation

Accepting her husband as the representative of the Supreme Person, a wife should worship him with unalloyed devotion by offering him prasāda. The husband, being very pleased with his wife, should engage himself in the affairs of his family.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Establish Family Relationships Spiritually

  1. 1

    The relationship between husband and wife should be established spiritually.

  2. 2

    The wife should accept her husband as the representative of the Supreme Person and worship him with unalloyed devotion by offering prasāda.

  3. 3

    The husband, pleased with his wife, should engage himself in the affairs of the family.

Key points from the purport
  • The family relationship of husband and wife should be established spiritually according to the process mentioned above.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Resentment and resolve → Constraint and consequence. Family conflict frames a test of intention.

Chapters 18–19 of Canto 6: Diti's vow and discipline. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 19: Performing the Puṁsavana Ritualistic Ceremony

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

On the following day, the husband should worship the Lord as before and then observe a festival by cooking nice food and distributing prasāda to the brāhmaṇas. Then, with the permission of the brāhmaṇas, the husband and wife should take prasāda.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.19
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. patimthe husband
  2. caand
  3. parayāsupreme
  4. bhaktyāwith devotion
  5. mahā-puruṣa-cetasāaccepting as the Supreme Person
  6. priyaiḥdear
  7. taiḥ taiḥby those (offerings)
  8. upanametshould worship
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 6.19

    In this verse: “devotion”, “worship”

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 devotional service and care for family responsibilities support each other?

Practice

If you are married, share prasāda with your spouse or attentively carry out one family responsibility.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayEstablish Family Relationships SpirituallyThis 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 6.19.17? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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