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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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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.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 9 · Chapter 14: King Purūravā Enchanted by Urvaśī
9.14.429.14.44-45

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.14.43

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Urvaśīsince 9.14.42inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

स्थालीं न्यस्य वने गत्वा गृहानाध्यायतो निशि ।

त्रेतायां सम्प्रवृत्तायां मनसि त्रय्यवर्तत ॥ ४३ ॥

sthālīṁ nyasya vane gatvā

gṛhān ādhyāyato niśi

tretāyāṁ sampravṛttāyāṁ

manasi trayy avartata

Translation

King Purūravā then left Agnisthālī in the forest and returned home, where he meditated all night upon Urvaśī. In the course of his meditation, the Tretā millennium began, and therefore the principles of the three Vedas, including the process of performing yajña to fulfill fruitive activities, appeared within his heart.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Perform Yajña to Please the Supreme Lord

  1. 1

    As Tretā-yuga began, the principles of Vedic yajñas appeared in Purūravā’s heart while he meditated upon Urvaśī.

  2. 2

    Yajña is intended to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Purūravā instead chose karma-kāṇḍīya-yajñas to fulfill his desires for sense enjoyment.

  3. 3

    In Kali-yuga, saṅkīrtana-yajña is recommended for pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who are intelligent accept this process to fulfill their material and spiritual desires.

Key points from the purport
  • While Purūravā was meditating upon Urvaśī, the Tretā-yuga began, and therefore the Vedic yajñas were revealed in his heart.
  • Therefore, he decided to perform karma-kāṇḍīya-yajñas to fulfill his lusty desires.
  • In other words, karma-kāṇḍīya-yajñas are meant for sensuous persons, whereas yajña should actually be performed to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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

Longing and conflict → Detachment and justice. Dynastic episodes explore personal desire and force.

Chapters 13–17 of Canto 9: Nimi, Purūravā and Paraśurāma. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 14: King Purūravā Enchanted by Urvaśī

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

After returning home and meditating upon Urvaśī all night, he wanted to perform a Vedic ritualistic ceremony to satisfy his desire. Thereafter he went to the same place where he had left Agnisthālī, and there he saw that from the womb of a śamī tree had come an aśvattha tree.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.14
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sthālīmthe woman Agnisthālī
  2. nyasyaimmediately giving up
  3. vanein the forest
  4. gatvāon returning
  5. gṛhānat home
  6. ādhyāyataḥbegan to meditate
  7. niśithe whole night
  8. tretāyāmwhen the Tretā millennium
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 9.14

    In this verse: “principles”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 9.14

    In this verse: “king”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 9.14

    In this verse: “material”

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

Is my spiritual practice mainly directed toward my own enjoyment or toward pleasing the Supreme Lord?

Practice

Spend a minute chanting with the intention of pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayPerform Yajña to Please the Supreme LordThis 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 9.14.43? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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