FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.13.37

स विप्रानुमतो राजा गृहीत्वाञ्जलिनौदनम् । अवघ्राय मुदा युक्त: प्रादात्पत्‍न्या उदारधी: ॥ ३७ ॥
sa viprānumato rājā
[sa vipraanumato raajaa]
gṛhītvāñjalinaudanam
[griheetvaanjalinaudanam]
avaghrāya mudā yuktaḥ
[avaghraaya mudaa yuktah]
prādāt patnyā udāra-dhīḥ
[praadaat patnyaa udaara-dheeh]
Word-for-word
saḥ — he vipra — of the brāhmaṇas anumataḥ — taking permission rājā — the King gṛhītvā — taking añjalinā — in his joined palms odanam — rice boiled in milk avaghrāya — after smelling mudā — with great delight yuktaḥ — fixed prādāt — offered patnyai — to his wife udāra-dhīḥ — liberal-minded.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa viprānumato rājā
saḥ
he
vipra
of the brāhmaṇas
anumataḥ
taking permission
rājā
the King
gṛhītvāñjalinaudanam
gṛhītvā
taking
añjalinā
in his joined palms
odanam
rice boiled in milk
avaghrāya mudā yuktaḥ
avaghrāya
after smelling
mudā
with great delight
yuktaḥ
fixed
prādāt patnyā udāra-dhīḥ
prādāt
offered
patnyai
to his wife
udāra-dhīḥ
liberal-minded.
The King was very liberal, and after taking permission from the priests, he took the preparation in his joined palms, and after smelling it he offered a portion to his wife.
Purport

The word udāra-dhīḥ is significant in this connection. The wife of the King, Sunīthā, was not fit to accept this benediction, yet the King was so liberal that without hesitation he offered to his wife the boiled rice in milk prasāda received from the yajña-puruṣa. Of course, everything is designed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As will be explained in later verses, this incident was not very favorable for the King. Since the King was very liberal, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in order to increase his detachment from this material world, willed that a cruel son be born of the Queen so that the King would have to leave home. As stated above, Lord Viṣṇu fulfills the desires of the karmīs as they desire, but the Lord fulfills the desire of a devotee in a different way so that the devotee may gradually come to Him. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā ( dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te ). The Lord gives the devotee the opportunity to make progress further and further so that he may come back home, back to Godhead.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The wise King, taking the permission of the brāhmaṇas, took the rice in his hands, smelled it with delight, and offered it to his wife.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The liberal king took the preparation and after smelling it offered some to his wife. Sometimes liberality and good intention pair with a poor recipient; the generosity itself isn't wrong, but the consequences are real.
Reflection Questions
  • Where has my generosity gone to a recipient whose own karma was poorly matched to the gift?
  • How can I be generous without being indiscriminate about whom I bring into my goodness?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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