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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
9.20.149.20.16

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.20.15

Manvantara· The Manus and right duty
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:King Duṣmantasince 9.20.15inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीदुष्मन्त उवाच

उपपन्नमिदं सुभ्रु जाताया: कुशिकान्वये ।

स्वयं हि वृणुते राज्ञां कन्यका: सद‍ृशं वरम् ॥ १५ ॥

śrī-duṣmanta uvāca

upapannam idaṁ subhru

jātāyāḥ kuśikānvaye

svayaṁ hi vṛṇute rājñāṁ

kanyakāḥ sadṛśaṁ varam

Translation

King Duṣmanta replied: O Śakuntalā, with beautiful eyebrows, you have taken your birth in the family of the great saint Viśvāmitra, and your reception is quite worthy of your family. Aside from this, the daughters of a king generally select their own husbands.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Marriage by Agreement Within Vedic Culture

  1. 1

    Duṣmanta praised Śakuntalā's reception as worthy of her family. The purport explains that her invitation indicated her wish to accept him as her husband.

  2. 2

    Both desired marriage, so their agreement was natural. Marriage by personal selection or agreement is called gāndharva marriage.

  3. 3

    Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this marriage was sanctioned by Vedic culture. He distinguishes marriage by agreement from divorce by disagreement.

Key points from the purport
  • As far as Mahārāja Duṣmanta was concerned, he desired Śakuntalā as his wife from the very beginning, as soon as he saw her, so the agreement to unite as husband and wife was natural.
  • To induce Śakuntalā to accept the marriage, Mahārāja Duṣmanta reminded her that as the daughter of a king she could select her husband in an open assembly.
  • Generally the parents select the husband or wife for their daughter or son, but gāndharva marriage takes place by personal selection.

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

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:

While hunting in the forest, Duṣmanta once approached the āśrama of Mahāṛṣi Kaṇva, where he saw an extremely beautiful woman and became attracted to her. That woman was the daughter of Viśvāmitra, and her name was Śakuntalā.
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-duṣmantaḥ uvācaKing Duṣmanta replied
  2. upapannamjust befitting your position
  3. idamthis
  4. su-bhruO Śakuntalā, with beautiful eyebrows
  5. jātāyāḥbecause of your birth
  6. kuśika-anvayein the family of Viśvāmitra
  7. svayampersonally
  8. hiindeed
3

Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Manvantara · The change of Manus

    What gives human life its right direction? · Subject 6 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 9.20

    In this verse: “king”

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 does this account teach me about treating marriage as a lasting commitment?

Practice

Write down one way to show steadiness in a serious commitment.

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 todayMarriage by Agreement Within Vedic CultureThis 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 9.20.15? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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