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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
9.14.439.14.46

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 9.14.44-45

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

स्थालीस्थानं गतोऽश्वत्थं शमीगर्भं विलक्ष्य स: ।

तेन द्वे अरणी कृत्वा उर्वशीलोककाम्यया ॥ ४४ ॥

उर्वशीं मन्त्रतो ध्यायन्नधरारणिमुत्तराम् ।

आत्मानमुभयोर्मध्ये यत् तत् प्रजननं प्रभु: ॥ ४५ ॥

sthālī-sthānaṁ gato ’śvatthaṁ

śamī-garbhaṁ vilakṣya saḥ

tena dve araṇī kṛtvā

urvaśī-loka-kāmyayā

urvaśīṁ mantrato dhyāyann

adharāraṇim uttarām

ātmānam ubhayor madhye

yat tat prajananaṁ prabhuḥ

Translation

When the process of fruitive yajña became manifest within his heart, King Purūravā went to the same spot where he had left Agnisthālī. There he saw that from the womb of a śamī tree, an aśvattha tree had grown. He then took a piece of wood from that tree and made it into two araṇis. Desiring to go to the planet where Urvaśī resided, he chanted mantras, meditating upon the lower araṇi as Urvaśī, the upper one as himself, and the piece of wood between them as his son. In this way he began to ignite a fire.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Remember the Lord While Performing Worship

  1. 1

    The Vedic sacrificial fire was produced by friction using sacred pieces of wood called araṇis, rather than ordinary matches.

  2. 2

    A successful yajña fulfills its performer’s desire. Purūravā used this process because he wanted to reach Urvaśī’s planet and have children with her.

  3. 3

    Even while performing yajña, Purūravā thought of Urvaśī instead of Yajñeśvara, Lord Viṣṇu, the master of yajña. His strong desire for sense enjoyment occupied his heart.

Key points from the purport
  • The Vedic fire for performing yajña was not ignited with ordinary matches or similar devices.
  • Thus Purūravā took advantage of the process of yajña to fulfill his lusty desires.
  • In other words, he had so much lust in his heart that even while performing yajña he thought of Urvaśī, instead of thinking of the master of yajña, Yajñeśvara, Lord Viṣṇu.

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:

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. Purūravā made two sticks from this tree and thus produced a fire.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.14
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sthālī-sthānamthe place where Agnisthālī was left
  2. gataḥgoing there
  3. aśvatthaman aśvattha tree
  4. śamī-garbhamproduced from the womb of the śamī tree
  5. vilakṣyaseeing
  6. saḥhe, Purūravā
  7. tenafrom that
  8. dvetwo
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

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 9.14

    In this verse: “chanted”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 9.14

    In this verse: “king”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 9.14

    In this verse: “children”

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

What desires draw my attention away from the Lord during worship?

Practice

Before worship today, pause and consciously turn your attention toward Lord Viṣṇu rather than a personal desire.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayRemember the Lord While Performing WorshipThis 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 9.14.44-45? Get an answer from the verses themselves.