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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 20: The Dynasty of Pūru
9.19.299.20.2

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.20.1

Visarga· Brahmā's creation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 9.20.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच

पूरोर्वंशं प्रवक्ष्यामि यत्र जातोऽसि भारत ।

यत्र राजर्षयो वंश्या ब्रह्मवंश्याश्च जज्ञिरे ॥ १ ॥

śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca

pūror vaṁśaṁ pravakṣyāmi

yatra jāto ’si bhārata

yatra rājarṣayo vaṁśyā

brahma-vaṁśyāś ca jajñire

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, descendant of Mahārāja Bharata, I shall now describe the dynasty of Pūru, in which you were born, in which many saintly kings appeared, and from which many dynasties of brāhmaṇas began.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Qualities and Activities Matter More Than Birth

  1. 1

    Śukadeva Gosvāmī introduces the dynasty of Pūru, in which Mahārāja Parīkṣit was born. Many saintly kings and dynasties of brāhmaṇas appeared in this line.

  2. 2

    The Lord created the four divisions of human society according to qualities and work. History shows that brāhmaṇas have come from kṣatriya families, and kṣatriyas from brāhmaṇa families.

  3. 3

    One’s place in the varṇa divisions is determined by one’s qualities and activities. Birth is a secondary consideration.

Key points from the purport
  • There are many historical instances by which we can understand that from kṣatriyas many brāhmaṇas have been born and that from brāhmaṇas many kṣatriyas have been born.
  • One’s place in the varṇa divisions of society is determined according to one’s symptoms or qualities.
  • Birth is a secondary consideration; the first consideration is one’s qualities and activities.

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 9.20.1 quotesBG 4.13

The Lord Himself says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13), cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: “According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me.”

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

Historical movement → Anticipation. The narrative narrows toward its divine center.

Chapters 20–24 of Canto 9: Lineages leading to the appearance of Kṛṣṇa. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 20: The Dynasty of Pūru

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

This chapter describes the history of Pūru and his descendant Duṣmanta. The son of Pūru was Janamejaya, and his son was Pracinvān.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.20
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-bādarāyaṇiḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
  2. pūroḥ vaṁśamthe dynasty of Mahārāja Pūru
  3. pravakṣyāminow I shall narrate
  4. yatrain which dynasty
  5. jātaḥ asiyou were born
  6. bhārataO Mahārāja Parīkṣit, descendant of Mahārāja Bharata
  7. yatrain which dynasty
  8. rāja-ṛṣayaḥall the kings were saintly
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Visarga · Subcreation

    How do living beings and their worlds appear? · Subject 2 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 9.20

    In this verse: “kings”

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 9.20

    In this verse: “varṇa”

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

Do I give more importance to someone’s family background than to their qualities and activities?

Practice

Today, acknowledge one good quality you have observed in someone’s actions.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

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 9.20's connections

Live this todayQualities and Activities Matter More Than BirthThis 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 9.20.1? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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