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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 5: Durvāsā Muni’s Life Spared

9.5.25 9.5.27

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.5.26

Mukti· Liberation

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 9.5.26inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

श्रीशुक उवाच

अथाम्बरीषस्तनयेषु राज्यं

समानशीलेषु विसृज्य धीर: ।

वनं विवेशात्मनि वासुदेवे

मनो दधद् ध्वस्तगुणप्रवाह: ॥ २६ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca

athāmbarīṣas tanayeṣu rājyaṁ

samāna-śīleṣu visṛjya dhīraḥ

vanaṁ viveśātmani vāsudeve

mano dadhad dhvasta-guṇa-pravāhaḥ

Translation

Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Thereafter, because of his advanced position in devotional life, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, who no longer desired to live with material things, retired from active family life. He divided his property among his sons, who were equally as qualified, and he himself took the order of vānaprastha and went to the forest to concentrate his mind fully upon Lord Vāsudeva.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Make Service the Only Desire

1
A person whose only desire is service to the Lord is liberated in any condition of life. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was already liberated as a pure devotee.
2
As an ideal king, he divided his kingdom among his equally qualified sons and accepted vānaprastha, retirement from family life.
3
He went to the forest to concentrate his mind fully on Lord Vāsudeva. His retirement directed his attention fully toward the Lord's lotus feet.

Key points from the purport

As a pure devotee, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was liberated in any condition of life because, as enunciated by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, a devotee is always liberated.
Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was undoubtedly liberated in any condition, but as an ideal king he accepted the vānaprastha order of retirement from family life.
Therefore Mahārāja Ambarīṣa divided the kingdom among his sons and retired from family life.

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

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

Chapter 5: Durvāsā Muni’s Life Spared

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

After this incident, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa gave Durvāsā Muni sumptuous food to eat, and then the King, who had been standing in the same place for one year without eating anything, also took prasāda. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa later divided his property among his sons and went to the bank of the Mānasa-sarovara to execute devotional meditation.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 9.5

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

śrī-śukaḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
athain this way
ambarīṣaḥKing Ambarīṣa
tanayeṣuunto his sons
rājyamthe kingdom
samāna-śīleṣuwho were equally as qualified as their father
visṛjyadividing
dhīraḥthe most learned person, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa

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 9.5
In this verse: “devotional”, “devotee”
Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership
Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 9.5
In this verse: “king”, “kingdom”
Moha · Material attachment
The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 9.5
In this verse: “material”

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I give more focused attention to serving the Lord in my present circumstances?

Practice

Set aside five quiet minutes today to concentrate your mind on Lord Vāsudeva.

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayMake Service the Only DesireThis 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.

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