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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

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 9 · Chapter 18: King Yayāti Regains His Youth

9.18.39 9.18.41

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.18.40

Ūti· What drives us to act

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Yadusince 9.18.40inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीयदुरुवाच

नोत्सहे जरसा स्थातुमन्तरा प्राप्तया तव ।

अविदित्वा सुखं ग्राम्यं वैतृष्ण्यं नैति पूरुष: ॥ ४० ॥

śrī-yadur uvāca

notsahe jarasā sthātum

antarā prāptayā tava

aviditvā sukhaṁ grāmyaṁ

vaitṛṣṇyaṁ naiti pūruṣaḥ

Translation

Yadu replied: My dear father, you have already achieved old age, although you also were a young man. But I do not welcome your old age and invalidity, for unless one enjoys material happiness, one cannot attain renunciation.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Is Religion’s Ultimate Purpose

1
The varṇāśrama institution provides gradual elevation toward renunciation and returning home, back to Godhead. Premature renunciation can leave material desires that disturb service.
2
One engaged in full devotional service is already on the spiritual platform and is liberated. The ultimate principle of religion is service to the Lord.
3
Yadu’s refusal was religious because his purpose was to serve the Lord without delay or disturbance. He was also eager for Lord Kṛṣṇa to appear in his dynasty.

Key points from the purport

Therefore when the brothers of Mahārāja Yadu refused their father’s order, this was certainly irreligious.
Mahārāja Yadu was ready to accept his father’s order and exchange youth for old age because he was confident that the youth taken by his father would be returned.
Therefore, because Yadu was eager to see the Lord’s appearance in his dynasty as soon as possible, Yadu refused to accept his father’s proposal.

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

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 9.18.40 quotesBG 14.26

“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.”

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Insatiable desire → Renunciation. Exhausted enjoyment generates insight.

Chapters 18–19 of Canto 9: Yayāti's craving and liberation. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 18: King Yayāti Regains His Youth

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Śukrācārya again became angry and cursed Mahārāja Yayāti to become old, but when Yayāti begged Śukrācārya to be merciful to him, Śukrācārya gave him the benediction that he could transfer his old age and invalidity to some young man. Yayāti exchanged his old age for the youth of his youngest son, Pūru, and thus he was able to enjoy with young girls.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 9.18

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

śrī-yaduḥ uvācaYadu, the eldest son to Yayāti, replied
na utsaheI am not enthusiastic
jarasāwith your old age and invalidity
sthātumto remain
antarāwhile in youth
prāptayāaccepted
tavayour
aviditvāwithout experiencing

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
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 9.18
In this verse: “material”
Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct
Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 9.18
In this verse: “religion”, “varṇāśrama”
Vātsalya · Parental affection
Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 9.18
In this verse: “father”

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

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Are my choices helping me move toward steady devotional service, or merely protecting my enjoyment?

Practice

Identify one attachment that disturbs your service, and take one small step today toward reducing it.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 9.18's connections

Live this todayDevotional Service Is Religion’s Ultimate PurposeThis 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 9.18.40? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

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