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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 ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 9.4.18-20

Who is speaking and story frame

स वै मन: कृष्णपदारविन्दयो-

र्वचांसि वैकुण्ठगुणानुवर्णने ।

करौ हरेर्मन्दिरमार्जनादिषु

श्रुतिं चकाराच्युतसत्कथोदये ॥ १८ ॥

मुकुन्दलिङ्गालयदर्शने द‍ृशौ

तद्भृत्यगात्रस्पर्शेऽङ्गसङ्गमम् ।

घ्राणं च तत्पादसरोजसौरभे

श्रीमत्तुलस्या रसनां तदर्पिते ॥ १९ ॥

पादौ हरे: क्षेत्रपदानुसर्पणे

शिरो हृषीकेशपदाभिवन्दने ।

कामं च दास्ये न तु कामकाम्यया

यथोत्तमश्लोकजनाश्रया रति: ॥ २० ॥

sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor

vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane

karau harer mandira-mārjanādiṣu

śrutiṁ cakārācyuta-sat-kathodaye

mukunda-liṅgālaya-darśane dṛśau

tad-bhṛtya-gātra-sparśe ’ṅga-saṅgamam

ghrāṇaṁ ca tat-pāda-saroja-saurabhe

śrīmat-tulasyā rasanāṁ tad-arpite

pādau hareḥ kṣetra-padānusarpaṇe

śiro hṛṣīkeśa-padābhivandane

kāmaṁ ca dāsye na tu kāma-kāmyayā

yathottamaśloka-janāśrayā ratiḥ

Translation

Mahārāja Ambarīṣa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord’s temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Kṛṣṇa or about Kṛṣṇa. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa’s temples and Kṛṣṇa’s places like Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord’s devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasī offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord’s prasāda. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Engage Every Sense in Kṛṣṇa’s Service

  1. 1

    Bhakti means engaging the senses in the service of their master, Kṛṣṇa. Ambarīṣa engaged his mind, words, hands, ears and all his other senses in the Lord’s service.

  2. 2

    Devotional service must be learned under proper guidance. The devotee’s first business is to accept a bona fide spiritual master who can train the senses in transcendental service.

  3. 3

    Following Kṛṣṇa’s instructions and Ambarīṣa’s example helps one understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Serving the Lord rather than seeking sense gratification increases attachment to Him and frees one from material desires.

Key points from the purport
  • Therefore, according to the instructions of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, the first business of a devotee is to accept a bona fide spiritual master who can train him to engage his various senses in rendering transcendental service to the Lord.
  • In other words, if one wants to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead in completeness, one must follow the prescriptions given by Kṛṣṇa by following in the footsteps of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa.
  • Bhagavad-gītā is kṛṣṇa-kathā spoken directly by Kṛṣṇa, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also kṛṣṇa-kathā because everything described in the Bhāgavatam is in relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

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· 4

The purport of SB 9.4.18-20 quotesBG 7.1

In Bhagavad-gītā (7.1) the Lord recommends, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 3.25.23

Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. He engaged his words only in glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.24.71

“King Ambarīṣa always fixed his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord and talked of Him only.”

Quoted in the purport ofCC Madhya 22.137-139

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (9.4.18-20).

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

Peril and anger → Faith and mercy. The contrast between pride and steadiness becomes clear.

Chapters 4–5 of Canto 9: Ambarīṣa's devotion and Durvāsā's anger. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 4: Ambarīṣa Mahārāja Offended by Durvāsā Muni

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Because Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, as the emperor, was immensely opulent, he performed devotional service with great opulence, and therefore, despite his wealth, he had no attachment to his wife, children or kingdom. He constantly engaged his senses and mind in the service of the Lord.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.4
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saḥhe (Mahārāja Ambarīṣa)
  2. vaiindeed
  3. manaḥhis mind
  4. kṛṣṇa-pada-aravindayoḥ(fixed) upon the two lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa
  5. vacāṁsihis words
  6. vaikuṇṭha-guṇa-anuvarṇanedescribing the glories of Kṛṣṇa
  7. karauhis two hands
  8. hareḥ mandira-mārjana-ādiṣuin activities like cleansing the temple of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
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Key ideas in this verse

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

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 9.4

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “devotees”, “devotee’s”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 9.4

    In this verse: “attachment”, “sense gratification”, “material”

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 9.4

    In this verse: “hearing”

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which of my senses could I engage more deliberately in Kṛṣṇa’s service today?

Practice

Spend five attentive minutes hearing or reading Bhagavad-gītā as words spoken directly by Kṛṣṇa.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

Quoted in 82 lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 82 lectures

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayEngage Every Sense in Kṛṣṇa’s ServiceOne of the 108 chosen lessons: a practice and a question from this verse

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 9.4.18-20? Get an answer from the verses themselves.