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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 5: Nārada Muni Cursed by Prajāpati Dakṣa

6.5.37 6.5.39

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.5.38

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Prajāpati Dakṣasince 6.5.38inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

एवं त्वं निरनुक्रोशो बालानां मतिभिद्धरे: ।

पार्षदमध्ये चरसि यशोहा निरपत्रप: ॥ ३८ ॥

evaṁ tvaṁ niranukrośo

bālānāṁ mati-bhid dhareḥ

pārṣada-madhye carasi

yaśo-hā nirapatrapaḥ

Translation

Prajāpati Dakṣa continued: Thus committing violence against other living entities and yet claiming to be an associate of Lord Viṣṇu, you are defaming the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You needlessly created a mentality of renunciation in innocent boys, and therefore you are shameless and devoid of compassion. How could you travel with the personal associates of the Supreme Lord?

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Pure Devotees Seek Service, Not Enjoyment

1
Fruitive workers seek enjoyment in this life and perform pious activities for further enjoyment in the next. This outlook can make them angry when young people take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
2
A pure devotee is not interested in yogic perfection, higher planetary systems or oneness with Brahman. The devotee seeks only to render service to the Personality of Godhead.
3
Because Dakṣa was a fruitive worker, he could not appreciate Nārada Muni’s service to his sons. He wrongly accused Nārada of sinful action and of defaming the Lord.

Key points from the purport

Karmīs, fruitive workers, think that one should fully enjoy his present life in this material world and also perform some pious activities to be promoted to higher planetary systems for further enjoyment in the next life.
Instead, he accused Nārada Muni of being sinful and charged that because Nārada Muni was associated with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord would also be defamed.
Thus Dakṣa criticized that Nārada Muni was an offender to the Lord although he was known as an associate 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.

How it feels

Anger and conflict → Spiritual commitment. Competing understandings of duty create relational tension.

Chapters 4–6 of Canto 6: Dakṣa, Nārada and the consequences of preaching. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 5: Nārada Muni Cursed by Prajāpati Dakṣa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

These sons, who were named the Savalāśvas, also engaged in worshiping Lord Viṣṇu to beget children, but Nārada Muni convinced them to become mendicants and not beget children. Foiled twice in his attempts to increase population, Prajāpati Dakṣa became most angry at Nārada Muni and cursed him, saying that in the future he would not be able to stay anywhere.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 6.5

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

evamthus
tvamyou (Nārada)
niranukrośaḥwithout compassion
bālānāmof innocent, inexperienced boys
mati-bhitcontaminating the consciousness
hareḥof the Supreme Personality of Godhead
pārṣada-madhyeamong the personal associates
carasitravel
yaśaḥ-hādefaming the Supreme Personality of Godhead
nirapatrapaḥ(although you do not know what you are doing, you are executing sinful activities) without shame

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
Karuṇā · Compassion
Concern for others expressed through bhakti. · Theme in SB 6.5
In this verse: “compassion”
Bhakti · Devotion and loving service
How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 6.5
In this verse: “devotee”
Śuddhi · Inner transformation
The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 6.5
In this verse: “sinful”

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

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I drawn to devotional service for its own sake, or mainly for what I hope to gain?

Practice

Do one small act of devotional service today without asking for material benefit in return.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayPure Devotees Seek Service, Not EnjoymentThis 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.

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