Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.23.4
कथयन्ति महत्पुण्यमितिहासमिहोद्धव ।
तमहं वर्णयिष्यामि निबोध सुसमाहित: ॥ ४ ॥
kathayanti mahat puṇyam
[kathayanti mahat punyam]
itihāsam ihoddhava
[itihaasam ihoddhava]
tam ahaṁ varṇayiṣyāmi
[tam aham varnayishyaami]
nibodha su-samāhitaḥ
[nibodha su-samaahitah]
Word-for-word
kathayanti
—
they tell
mahat
—
greatly
puṇyam
—
pious
itihāsam
—
story
iha
—
in this regard
uddhava
—
My dear Uddhava
tam
—
that
aham
—
I
varṇayiṣyāmi
—
will describe
nibodha
—
please listen
su-samāhitaḥ
—
with careful attention.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kathayanti mahat puṇyam
kathayanti
they tell
mahat
greatly
puṇyam
pious
itihāsam ihoddhava
itihāsam
story
iha
in this regard
uddhava
My dear Uddhava
tam ahaṁ varṇayiṣyāmi
tam
that
aham
I
varṇayiṣyāmi
will describe
nibodha su-samāhitaḥ
nibodha
please listen
su-samāhitaḥ
with careful attention.
My dear Uddhava, in this regard a most pious story is told, and I shall now describe it to you. Please listen with careful attention.
Purport
The Lord will now relate to Uddhava a historical account which teaches how to tolerate the insults of others.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
O Uddhava! In this regard a most purifying story is told, and I shall now describe it to you. Please listen with attention.
Though we see that harsh words affect everyone, please hear a story which will render harsh words useless.
Personal Guidance
The Lord offers a most pious story and asks Uddhava to listen with careful attention. The teaching enters through narrative.
Reflection Questions
- What story have I been told that holds the key to a current challenge?
- Have I listened to it carefully enough?
My note
Source: vedabase.io