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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 19: King Yayāti Achieves Liberation

9.19.1 9.19.3

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.19.2

Ūti· What drives us to act

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 9.19.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श‍ृणु भार्गव्यमूं गाथां मद्विधाचरितां भुवि ।

धीरा यस्यानुशोचन्ति वने ग्रामनिवासिन: ॥ २ ॥

śṛṇu bhārgavy amūṁ gāthāṁ

mad-vidhācaritāṁ bhuvi

dhīrā yasyānuśocanti

vane grāma-nivāsinaḥ

Translation

My dearly beloved wife, daughter of Śukrācārya, in this world there was someone exactly like me. Please listen as I narrate the history of his life. By hearing about the life of such a householder, those who have retired from householder life always lament.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Progress Toward Unalloyed Service

1
Yayāti asks his wife to hear about someone whose behavior closely resembles his own. Those retired from household life lament on hearing such a history.
2
The purport describes four stages of Vedic life: brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. It recommends retirement from family life at the end of one’s fiftieth year.
3
Retirement should prepare one for sannyāsa, which means unalloyed engagement in the service of the Lord. Remaining absorbed in fulfilling lusty desires prevents this progress.

Key points from the purport

In the Vedic civilization, therefore, it is recommended that one retire from family life at the end of his fiftieth year and go to vana, the forest.
When he becomes expert or accustomed to forest life, or retired life as a vānaprastha, he should accept sannyāsa.
Vedic civilization therefore recommends four different stages of life — brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa.

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

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 19: King Yayāti Achieves Liberation

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

When satiated with material enjoyment, he devised a story of a he-goat and she-goat, corresponding to his own life, and narrated the story before his beloved Devayānī. The story is as follows.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 9.19

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

śṛṇuplease hear
bhārgaviO daughter of Śukrācārya
amūmthis
gāthāmhistory
mat-vidhāexactly resembling my behavior
ācaritāmbehavior
bhuviwithin this world
dhīrāḥthose who are sober and intelligent

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 9.19
In this verse: “householder”, “lusty”, “household”
Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting
Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 9.19
In this verse: “hearing”
Viraha · Longing in separation
Love and remembrance experienced in apparent absence. · Theme in SB 9.19
In this verse: “lament”

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can your present responsibilities leave room for progress in serving the Lord?

Practice

Set aside five minutes today for serving the Lord rather than pursuing personal enjoyment.

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.

Prahlāda MahārājaSB 7.5 · Prahlāda remains faithfulPrahlāda’s devotion does not depend on his teachers’ approval or his father’s favor. His spiritual understanding makes him equal toward everyone.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 9.19's connections

Live this todayProgress Toward Unalloyed ServiceThis 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 9.19.2? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories