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Canto 9 · Liberation · 24 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.
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Canto 9 · Chapter 1: King Sudyumna Becomes a Woman
9.1.309.1.32

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.1.31

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 9.1.29inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

ऋषयोऽपि तयोर्वीक्ष्य प्रसङ्गं रममाणयो: ।

निवृत्ता: प्रययुस्तस्मान्नरनारायणाश्रमम् ॥ ३१ ॥

ṛṣayo ’pi tayor vīkṣya

prasaṅgaṁ ramamāṇayoḥ

nivṛttāḥ prayayus tasmān

nara-nārāyaṇāśramam

Translation

Seeing Lord Śiva and Pārvatī engaged in sexual affairs, all the great saintly persons immediately desisted from going further and departed for the āśrama of Nara-Nārāyaṇa.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

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

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Saintly Persons Withdraw Immediately

  1. 1

    The great saintly persons saw Lord Śiva and Pārvatī engaged in sexual affairs.

  2. 2

    They immediately stopped going further and withdrew from that place.

  3. 3

    They departed for the āśrama of Nara-Nārāyaṇa.

How it feels

Change → Acceptance. The instability of worldly identities is a recurring premise.

Chapters 1–3 of Canto 9: Dynastic origins and domestic transformations. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 1: King Sudyumna Becomes a Woman

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

By the grace of Lord Śiva, Sudyumna received the benediction that he would live one month as a woman and one month as a man. Thus he regained his kingdom and had three sons, named Utkala, Gaya and Vimala, who were all very religious.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.1
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. ṛṣayaḥall the great saintly persons
  2. apialso
  3. tayoḥof both of them
  4. vīkṣyaseeing
  5. prasaṅgamengagement in sexual matters
  6. ramamāṇayoḥwho were enjoying in that way
  7. nivṛttāḥdesisted from going further
  8. prayayuḥimmediately departed
  9. tasmātfrom that place
  10. nara-nārāyaṇa-āśramamto the āśrama of Nara-Nārāyaṇa
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

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 9.1

    In this verse: “āśrama”

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

When is quietly withdrawing the most respectful response?

Practice

If you encounter a private moment today, step away rather than intrude.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Saintly Persons Withdraw ImmediatelyThis 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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