Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.6
yā vai lasac-chrī-tulasī-vimiśra-
kṛṣṇāńghri-reṇv-abhyadhikāmbu-netrī
punāti lokān ubhayatra seśān
kas tāḿ na seveta mariṣyamāṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
yā — the river which; vai — always; lasat — floating with; śrī-tulasī — tulasī leaves; vimiśra — mixed; kṛṣṇa-ańghri — the lotus feet of the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa; reṇu — dust; abhyadhika — auspicious; ambu — water; netrī — that which is carrying; punāti — sanctifies; lokān — planets; ubhayatra — both the upper and lower or inside and outside; sa-īśān — along with Lord Śiva; kaḥ — who else; tām — that river; na — does not; seveta — worship; mariṣyamāṇaḥ — one who is to die at any moment.
TRANSLATION
The river [Ganges, by which the King sat to fast] carries the most auspicious water, which is mixed with the dust of the lotus feet of the Lord and tulasī leaves. Therefore that water sanctifies the three worlds inside and outside and even sanctifies Lord Śiva and other demigods. Consequently everyone who is destined to die must take shelter of this river.
PURPORT
Mahārāja Parīkṣit, just after receiving the news of his death within seven days, at once retired from family life and shifted himself to the sacred bank of the Yamunā River. Generally it is said that the King took shelter on the bank of the Ganges, but according to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the King took shelter on the bank of the Yamunā. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī's statement appears to be more accurate because of the geographical situation. Mahārāja Parīkṣit resided in his capital Hastināpura, situated near present Delhi, and the River Yamunā flows down past the city. Naturally the King would take shelter of the River Yamunā because she was flowing past his palace door. And as far as sanctity is concerned, the River Yamunā is more directly connected with Lord Kṛṣṇa than the Ganges. The Lord sanctified the River Yamunā from the beginning of His transcendental pastimes in the world. While His father Vasudeva was crossing the Yamunā with the baby Lord Kṛṣṇa for a safe place at Gokula on the other bank of the river from Mathurā, the Lord fell down in the river, and by the dust of His lotus feet the river at once became sanctified. It is especially mentioned herein that Mahārāja Parīkṣit took shelter of that particular river which is beautifully flowing, carrying the dust of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, mixed with tulasī leaves. Lord Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet are always besmeared with the tulasī leaves, and thus as soon as His lotus feet contact the water of the Ganges and the Yamunā, the rivers become at once sanctified. The Lord, however, contacted the River Yamunā more than the Ganges. According to the Varāha Purāṇa, as quoted by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, there is no difference between the water of the Ganges and the Yamunā, but when the water of the Ganges is sanctified one hundred times, it is called the Yamunā. Similarly, it is said in the scriptures that one thousand names of Viṣṇu are equal to one name of Rāma, and three names of Lord Rāma are equal to one name of Kṛṣṇa.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.5
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.5
atho vihāyemam amuḿ ca lokaḿ
vimarśitau heyatayā purastāt
kṛṣṇāńghri-sevām adhimanyamāna
upāviśat prāyam amartya-nadyām
SYNONYMS
atho — thus; vihāya — giving up; imam — this; amum — and the next; ca — also; lokam — planets; vimarśitau — all of them being judged; heyatayā — because of inferiority; purastāt — hereinbefore; kṛṣṇa-ańghri — the lotus feet of the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa; sevām — transcendental loving service; adhimanyamānaḥ — one who thinks of the greatest of all achievements; upāviśat — sat down firmly; prāyam — for fasting; amartya-nadyām — on the bank of the transcendental river (the Ganges or the Yamunā).
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Parīkṣit sat down firmly on the banks of the Ganges to concentrate his mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, rejecting all other practices of self-realization, because transcendental loving service to Kṛṣṇa is the greatest achievement, superseding all other methods.
PURPORT
For a devotee like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, none of the material planets, even the topmost Brahmaloka, is as desirable as Goloka Vṛndāvana, the abode of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the primeval Lord and original Personality of Godhead. This earth is one of the innumerable material planets within the universe, and there are innumerable universes also within the compass of the mahat-tattva. The devotees are told by the Lord and His representatives, the spiritual masters or ācāryas, that not one of the planets within all the innumerable universes is suitable for the residential purposes of a devotee. The devotee always desires to go back home, back to Godhead, just to become one of the associates of the Lord in the capacity of servitor, friend, parent or conjugal lover of the Lord, either in one of the innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets or in Goloka Vṛndāvana, the planet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. All these planets are eternally situated in the spiritual sky, the paravyoma, which is on the other side of the Causal Ocean within the mahat-tattva. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was already aware of all this information due to his accumulated piety and birth in a high family of devotees, Vaiṣṇavas, and thus he was not at all interested in the material planets. Modern scientists are very eager to reach the moon by material arrangements, but they cannot conceive of the highest planet of this universe. But a devotee like Mahārāja Parīkṣit does not care a fig for the moon or, for that matter, any of the material planets. So when he was assured of his death on a fixed date, he became more determined in the transcendental loving service of Lord Kṛṣṇa by complete fasting on the bank of the transcendental River Yamunā, which flows down by the capital of Hastināpura (in the Delhi state). Both the Ganges and the Yamunā are amartyā (transcendental) rivers, and Yamunā is still more sanctified for the following reasons.
atho vihāyemam amuḿ ca lokaḿ
vimarśitau heyatayā purastāt
kṛṣṇāńghri-sevām adhimanyamāna
upāviśat prāyam amartya-nadyām
SYNONYMS
atho — thus; vihāya — giving up; imam — this; amum — and the next; ca — also; lokam — planets; vimarśitau — all of them being judged; heyatayā — because of inferiority; purastāt — hereinbefore; kṛṣṇa-ańghri — the lotus feet of the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa; sevām — transcendental loving service; adhimanyamānaḥ — one who thinks of the greatest of all achievements; upāviśat — sat down firmly; prāyam — for fasting; amartya-nadyām — on the bank of the transcendental river (the Ganges or the Yamunā).
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Parīkṣit sat down firmly on the banks of the Ganges to concentrate his mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, rejecting all other practices of self-realization, because transcendental loving service to Kṛṣṇa is the greatest achievement, superseding all other methods.
PURPORT
For a devotee like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, none of the material planets, even the topmost Brahmaloka, is as desirable as Goloka Vṛndāvana, the abode of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the primeval Lord and original Personality of Godhead. This earth is one of the innumerable material planets within the universe, and there are innumerable universes also within the compass of the mahat-tattva. The devotees are told by the Lord and His representatives, the spiritual masters or ācāryas, that not one of the planets within all the innumerable universes is suitable for the residential purposes of a devotee. The devotee always desires to go back home, back to Godhead, just to become one of the associates of the Lord in the capacity of servitor, friend, parent or conjugal lover of the Lord, either in one of the innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets or in Goloka Vṛndāvana, the planet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. All these planets are eternally situated in the spiritual sky, the paravyoma, which is on the other side of the Causal Ocean within the mahat-tattva. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was already aware of all this information due to his accumulated piety and birth in a high family of devotees, Vaiṣṇavas, and thus he was not at all interested in the material planets. Modern scientists are very eager to reach the moon by material arrangements, but they cannot conceive of the highest planet of this universe. But a devotee like Mahārāja Parīkṣit does not care a fig for the moon or, for that matter, any of the material planets. So when he was assured of his death on a fixed date, he became more determined in the transcendental loving service of Lord Kṛṣṇa by complete fasting on the bank of the transcendental River Yamunā, which flows down by the capital of Hastināpura (in the Delhi state). Both the Ganges and the Yamunā are amartyā (transcendental) rivers, and Yamunā is still more sanctified for the following reasons.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.4
sa cintayann ittham athāśṛṇod yathā
muneḥ sutokto nirṛtis takṣakākhyaḥ
sa sādhu mene na cireṇa takṣakā-
nalaḿ prasaktasya virakti-kāraṇam
SYNONYMS
saḥ — he, the King; cintayan — thinking; ittham — like this; atha — now; aśṛṇot — heard; yathā — as; muneḥ — of the sage; suta-uktaḥ — uttered by the son; nirṛtiḥ — death; takṣaka-ākhyaḥ — in relation with the snake-bird; saḥ — he (the King); sādhu — well and good; mene — accepted; na — not; cireṇa — very long time; takṣaka — snake-bird; analam — fire; prasaktasya — for one who is too attached; virakti — indifference; kāraṇam — cause.
TRANSLATION
While the King was thus repenting, he received news of his imminent death, which would be due to the bite of a snake-bird, occasioned by the curse spoken by the sage's son. The King accepted this as good news, for it would be the cause of his indifference toward worldly things.
PURPORT
Real happiness is achieved by spiritual existence or by cessation of the repetition of birth and death. One can stop the repetition of birth and death only by going back to Godhead. In the material world, even by attaining the topmost planet (Brahmaloka), one cannot get rid of the conditions of repeated birth and death, but still we do not accept the path of attaining perfection. The path of perfection frees one from all material attachments, and thus one becomes fit to enter into the spiritual kingdom. Therefore, those who are materially poverty-stricken are better candidates than those who are materially prosperous. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a great devotee of the Lord and a bona fide candidate for entering into the kingdom of God, but even though he was so, his material assets as the Emperor of the world were setbacks to perfect attainment of his rightful status as one of the associates of the Lord in the spiritual sky. As a devotee of the Lord, he could understand that the cursing of the brāhmaṇa boy, although unwise, was a blessing upon him, being the cause of detachment from worldly affairs, both political and social. Śamīka Muni also, after regretting the incident, conveyed the news to the King as a matter of duty so that the King would be able to prepare himself to go back to Godhead. Śamīka Muni sent news to the King that foolish Śṛńgi, his son, although a powerful brāhmaṇa boy, unfortunately had misused his spiritual power by cursing the King unwarrantedly. The incident of the King's garlanding the muni was not sufficient cause for being cursed to death, but since there was no way to retract the curse, the King was informed to prepare for death within a week. Both Śamīka Muni and the King were self-realized souls. Śamīka Muni was a mystic, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a devotee. Therefore there was no difference between them in self-realization. Neither of them was afraid of meeting death. Mahārāja Parīkṣit could have gone to the muni to beg his pardon, but the news of imminent death was conveyed to the King with so much regret by the muni that the King did not want to shame the muni further by his presence there. He decided to prepare himself for his imminent death and find out the way to go back to Godhead.
The life of a human being is a chance to prepare oneself to go back to Godhead, or to get rid of the material existence, the repetition of birth and death. Thus in the system of varṇāśrama-dharma every man and woman is trained for this purpose. In other words, the system of varṇāśrama-dharma is known also as sanātana-dharma, or the eternal occupation. The system of varṇāśrama-dharma prepares a man for going back to Godhead, and thus a householder is ordered to go to the forest as vānaprastha to acquire complete knowledge and then to take sannyāsa prior to his inevitable death. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was fortunate to get a seven-day notice to meet his inevitable death. But for the common man there is no definite notice, although death is inevitable for all. Foolish men forget this sure fact of death and neglect the duty of preparing themselves for going back to Godhead. They spoil their lives in animal propensities to eat, drink, be merry and enjoy. Such an irresponsible life is adopted by the people in the age of Kali because of a sinful desire to condemn brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection, for which the state is responsible. The state must employ revenue to advance these three items and thus educate the populace to prepare for death. The state which does so is the real welfare state. The state of India should better follow the examples of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the ideal executive head, than to imitate other materialistic states which have no idea of the kingdom of Godhead, the ultimate goal of human life. Deterioration of the ideals of Indian civilization has brought about the deterioration of civic life, not only in India but also abroad.
muneḥ sutokto nirṛtis takṣakākhyaḥ
sa sādhu mene na cireṇa takṣakā-
nalaḿ prasaktasya virakti-kāraṇam
SYNONYMS
saḥ — he, the King; cintayan — thinking; ittham — like this; atha — now; aśṛṇot — heard; yathā — as; muneḥ — of the sage; suta-uktaḥ — uttered by the son; nirṛtiḥ — death; takṣaka-ākhyaḥ — in relation with the snake-bird; saḥ — he (the King); sādhu — well and good; mene — accepted; na — not; cireṇa — very long time; takṣaka — snake-bird; analam — fire; prasaktasya — for one who is too attached; virakti — indifference; kāraṇam — cause.
TRANSLATION
While the King was thus repenting, he received news of his imminent death, which would be due to the bite of a snake-bird, occasioned by the curse spoken by the sage's son. The King accepted this as good news, for it would be the cause of his indifference toward worldly things.
PURPORT
Real happiness is achieved by spiritual existence or by cessation of the repetition of birth and death. One can stop the repetition of birth and death only by going back to Godhead. In the material world, even by attaining the topmost planet (Brahmaloka), one cannot get rid of the conditions of repeated birth and death, but still we do not accept the path of attaining perfection. The path of perfection frees one from all material attachments, and thus one becomes fit to enter into the spiritual kingdom. Therefore, those who are materially poverty-stricken are better candidates than those who are materially prosperous. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a great devotee of the Lord and a bona fide candidate for entering into the kingdom of God, but even though he was so, his material assets as the Emperor of the world were setbacks to perfect attainment of his rightful status as one of the associates of the Lord in the spiritual sky. As a devotee of the Lord, he could understand that the cursing of the brāhmaṇa boy, although unwise, was a blessing upon him, being the cause of detachment from worldly affairs, both political and social. Śamīka Muni also, after regretting the incident, conveyed the news to the King as a matter of duty so that the King would be able to prepare himself to go back to Godhead. Śamīka Muni sent news to the King that foolish Śṛńgi, his son, although a powerful brāhmaṇa boy, unfortunately had misused his spiritual power by cursing the King unwarrantedly. The incident of the King's garlanding the muni was not sufficient cause for being cursed to death, but since there was no way to retract the curse, the King was informed to prepare for death within a week. Both Śamīka Muni and the King were self-realized souls. Śamīka Muni was a mystic, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a devotee. Therefore there was no difference between them in self-realization. Neither of them was afraid of meeting death. Mahārāja Parīkṣit could have gone to the muni to beg his pardon, but the news of imminent death was conveyed to the King with so much regret by the muni that the King did not want to shame the muni further by his presence there. He decided to prepare himself for his imminent death and find out the way to go back to Godhead.
The life of a human being is a chance to prepare oneself to go back to Godhead, or to get rid of the material existence, the repetition of birth and death. Thus in the system of varṇāśrama-dharma every man and woman is trained for this purpose. In other words, the system of varṇāśrama-dharma is known also as sanātana-dharma, or the eternal occupation. The system of varṇāśrama-dharma prepares a man for going back to Godhead, and thus a householder is ordered to go to the forest as vānaprastha to acquire complete knowledge and then to take sannyāsa prior to his inevitable death. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was fortunate to get a seven-day notice to meet his inevitable death. But for the common man there is no definite notice, although death is inevitable for all. Foolish men forget this sure fact of death and neglect the duty of preparing themselves for going back to Godhead. They spoil their lives in animal propensities to eat, drink, be merry and enjoy. Such an irresponsible life is adopted by the people in the age of Kali because of a sinful desire to condemn brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection, for which the state is responsible. The state must employ revenue to advance these three items and thus educate the populace to prepare for death. The state which does so is the real welfare state. The state of India should better follow the examples of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the ideal executive head, than to imitate other materialistic states which have no idea of the kingdom of Godhead, the ultimate goal of human life. Deterioration of the ideals of Indian civilization has brought about the deterioration of civic life, not only in India but also abroad.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.3
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.3
adyaiva rājyaḿ balam ṛddha-kośaḿ
prakopita-brahma-kulānalo me
dahatv abhadrasya punar na me 'bhūt
pāpīyasī dhīr dvija-deva-gobhyaḥ
SYNONYMS
adya — this day; eva — on the very; rājyam — kingdom; balam ṛddha — strength and riches; kośam — treasury; prakopita — ignited by; brahma-kula — by the brāhmaṇa community; analaḥ — fire; me dahatu — let it burn me; abhadrasya — inauspiciousness; punaḥ — again; na — not; me — unto me; abhūt — may occur; pāpīyasī — sinful; dhīḥ — intelligence; dvija — brāhmaṇas; deva — the Supreme Lord; gobhyaḥ — and the cows.
TRANSLATION
I am uncivilized and sinful due to my neglect of brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection. Therefore I wish that my kingdom, strength and riches burn up immediately by the fire of the brāhmaṇa's wrath so that in the future I may not be guided by such inauspicious attitudes.
PURPORT
Progressive human civilization is based on brahminical culture, God consciousness and protection of cows. All economic development of the state by trade, commerce, agriculture and industries must be fully utilized in relation to the above principles, otherwise all so-called economic development becomes a source of degradation. Cow protection means feeding the brahminical culture, which leads towards God consciousness, and thus perfection of human civilization is achieved. The age of Kali aims at killing the higher principles of life, and although Mahārāja Parīkṣit strongly resisted the domination of the personality of Kali within the world, the influence of the age of Kali came at an opportune moment, and even a strong king like Mahārāja Parīkṣit was induced to disregard the brahminical culture due to a slight provocation of hunger and thirst. Mahārāja Parīkṣit lamented the accidental incident, and he desired that all his kingdom, strength and accumulation of wealth would be burned up for not being engaged in brahminical culture, etc.
Where wealth and strength are not engaged in the advancement of brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection, the state and home are surely doomed by Providence. If we want peace and prosperity in the world, we should take lessons from this verse; every state and every home must endeavor to advance the cause of brahminical culture for self-purification, God consciousness for self-realization and cow protection for getting sufficient milk and the best food to continue a perfect civilization.
adyaiva rājyaḿ balam ṛddha-kośaḿ
prakopita-brahma-kulānalo me
dahatv abhadrasya punar na me 'bhūt
pāpīyasī dhīr dvija-deva-gobhyaḥ
SYNONYMS
adya — this day; eva — on the very; rājyam — kingdom; balam ṛddha — strength and riches; kośam — treasury; prakopita — ignited by; brahma-kula — by the brāhmaṇa community; analaḥ — fire; me dahatu — let it burn me; abhadrasya — inauspiciousness; punaḥ — again; na — not; me — unto me; abhūt — may occur; pāpīyasī — sinful; dhīḥ — intelligence; dvija — brāhmaṇas; deva — the Supreme Lord; gobhyaḥ — and the cows.
TRANSLATION
I am uncivilized and sinful due to my neglect of brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection. Therefore I wish that my kingdom, strength and riches burn up immediately by the fire of the brāhmaṇa's wrath so that in the future I may not be guided by such inauspicious attitudes.
PURPORT
Progressive human civilization is based on brahminical culture, God consciousness and protection of cows. All economic development of the state by trade, commerce, agriculture and industries must be fully utilized in relation to the above principles, otherwise all so-called economic development becomes a source of degradation. Cow protection means feeding the brahminical culture, which leads towards God consciousness, and thus perfection of human civilization is achieved. The age of Kali aims at killing the higher principles of life, and although Mahārāja Parīkṣit strongly resisted the domination of the personality of Kali within the world, the influence of the age of Kali came at an opportune moment, and even a strong king like Mahārāja Parīkṣit was induced to disregard the brahminical culture due to a slight provocation of hunger and thirst. Mahārāja Parīkṣit lamented the accidental incident, and he desired that all his kingdom, strength and accumulation of wealth would be burned up for not being engaged in brahminical culture, etc.
Where wealth and strength are not engaged in the advancement of brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection, the state and home are surely doomed by Providence. If we want peace and prosperity in the world, we should take lessons from this verse; every state and every home must endeavor to advance the cause of brahminical culture for self-purification, God consciousness for self-realization and cow protection for getting sufficient milk and the best food to continue a perfect civilization.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.2
dhruvaḿ tato me kṛta-deva-helanād
duratyayaḿ vyasanaḿ nāti-dīrghāt
tad astu kāmaḿ hy agha-niṣkṛtāya me
yathā na kuryāḿ punar evam addhā
SYNONYMS
dhruvam — sure and certain; tataḥ — therefore; me — my; kṛta-deva-helanāt — because of disobeying the orders of the Lord; duratyayam — very difficult; vyasanam — calamity; na — not; ati — greatly; dīrghāt — far off; tat — that; astu — let it be; kāmam — desire without reservations; hi — certainly; agha — sins; niṣkṛtāya — for getting free; me — my; yathā — so that; na — never; kuryām — shall I do it; punaḥ — again; evam — as I have done; addhā — directly.
TRANSLATION
[King Parīkṣit thought:] Due to my neglecting the injunctions of the Supreme Lord I must certainly expect some difficulty to overcome me in the near future. I now desire without reservation that the calamity come now, for in this way I may be freed of the sinful action and not commit such an offense again.
PURPORT
The Supreme Lord enjoins that brāhmaṇas and cows must be given all protection. The Lord is Himself very much inclined to do good to brāhmaṇas and cows (go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca). Mahārāja Parīkṣit knew all this, and thus he concluded that his insulting a powerful brāhmaṇa was certainly to be punished by the laws of the Lord, and he was expecting something very difficult in the very near future. He therefore desired the imminent calamity to fall on him and not on his family members. A man's personal misconduct affects all his family members. Therefore Mahārāja Parīkṣit desired the calamity to fall on him alone. By suffering personally he would be restrained from future sins, and at the same time the sin which he had committed would be counteracted so that his descendants would not suffer. That is the way a responsible devotee thinks. The family members of a devotee also share the effects of a devotee's service unto the Lord. Mahārāja Prahlāda saved his demon father by his personal devotional service. A devotee son in the family is the greatest boon or blessing of the Lord.
duratyayaḿ vyasanaḿ nāti-dīrghāt
tad astu kāmaḿ hy agha-niṣkṛtāya me
yathā na kuryāḿ punar evam addhā
SYNONYMS
dhruvam — sure and certain; tataḥ — therefore; me — my; kṛta-deva-helanāt — because of disobeying the orders of the Lord; duratyayam — very difficult; vyasanam — calamity; na — not; ati — greatly; dīrghāt — far off; tat — that; astu — let it be; kāmam — desire without reservations; hi — certainly; agha — sins; niṣkṛtāya — for getting free; me — my; yathā — so that; na — never; kuryām — shall I do it; punaḥ — again; evam — as I have done; addhā — directly.
TRANSLATION
[King Parīkṣit thought:] Due to my neglecting the injunctions of the Supreme Lord I must certainly expect some difficulty to overcome me in the near future. I now desire without reservation that the calamity come now, for in this way I may be freed of the sinful action and not commit such an offense again.
PURPORT
The Supreme Lord enjoins that brāhmaṇas and cows must be given all protection. The Lord is Himself very much inclined to do good to brāhmaṇas and cows (go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca). Mahārāja Parīkṣit knew all this, and thus he concluded that his insulting a powerful brāhmaṇa was certainly to be punished by the laws of the Lord, and he was expecting something very difficult in the very near future. He therefore desired the imminent calamity to fall on him and not on his family members. A man's personal misconduct affects all his family members. Therefore Mahārāja Parīkṣit desired the calamity to fall on him alone. By suffering personally he would be restrained from future sins, and at the same time the sin which he had committed would be counteracted so that his descendants would not suffer. That is the way a responsible devotee thinks. The family members of a devotee also share the effects of a devotee's service unto the Lord. Mahārāja Prahlāda saved his demon father by his personal devotional service. A devotee son in the family is the greatest boon or blessing of the Lord.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Canto 1: Creation Chapter 19: The Appearance of Śukadeva Gosvāmī Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.1
Canto 1: Creation Chapter 19: The Appearance of Śukadeva Gosvāmī
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.1
sūta uvāca
mahī-patis tv atha tat-karma garhyaḿ
vicintayann ātma-kṛtaḿ sudurmanāḥ
aho mayā nīcam anārya-vat kṛtaḿ
nirāgasi brahmaṇi gūḍha-tejasi
SYNONYMS
sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; mahī-patiḥ — the King; tu — but; atha — thus (while coming back home); tat — that; karma — act; garhyam — abominable; vicintayan — thus thinking; ātma-kṛtam — done by himself; su-durmanāḥ — very much depressed; aho — alas; mayā — by me; nīcam — heinous; anārya — uncivilized; vat — like; kṛtam — done; nirāgasi — unto one who is faultless; brahmaṇi — unto a brāhmaṇa; gūḍha — grave; tejasi — unto the powerful.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: While returning home, the King [Mahārāja Parīkṣit] felt that the act he had committed against the faultless and powerful brāhmaṇa was heinous and uncivilized. Consequently he was distressed.
PURPORT
The pious King regretted his accidental improper treatment of the powerful brāhmaṇa, who was faultless. Such repentance is natural for a good man like the King, and such repentance delivers a devotee from all kinds of sins accidentally committed. The devotees are naturally faultless. Accidental sins committed by a devotee are sincerely regretted, and by the grace of the Lord all sins unwillingly committed by a devotee are burnt in the fire of repentance.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.1
sūta uvāca
mahī-patis tv atha tat-karma garhyaḿ
vicintayann ātma-kṛtaḿ sudurmanāḥ
aho mayā nīcam anārya-vat kṛtaḿ
nirāgasi brahmaṇi gūḍha-tejasi
SYNONYMS
sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; mahī-patiḥ — the King; tu — but; atha — thus (while coming back home); tat — that; karma — act; garhyam — abominable; vicintayan — thus thinking; ātma-kṛtam — done by himself; su-durmanāḥ — very much depressed; aho — alas; mayā — by me; nīcam — heinous; anārya — uncivilized; vat — like; kṛtam — done; nirāgasi — unto one who is faultless; brahmaṇi — unto a brāhmaṇa; gūḍha — grave; tejasi — unto the powerful.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: While returning home, the King [Mahārāja Parīkṣit] felt that the act he had committed against the faultless and powerful brāhmaṇa was heinous and uncivilized. Consequently he was distressed.
PURPORT
The pious King regretted his accidental improper treatment of the powerful brāhmaṇa, who was faultless. Such repentance is natural for a good man like the King, and such repentance delivers a devotee from all kinds of sins accidentally committed. The devotees are naturally faultless. Accidental sins committed by a devotee are sincerely regretted, and by the grace of the Lord all sins unwillingly committed by a devotee are burnt in the fire of repentance.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.18.50
prāyaśaḥ sādhavo loke
parair dvandveṣu yojitāḥ
na vyathanti na hṛṣyanti
yata ātmāguṇāśrayaḥ
SYNONYMS
prāyaśaḥ — generally; sādhavaḥ — saints; loke — in this world; paraiḥ — by others; dvandveṣu — in duality; yojitāḥ — being engaged; na — never; vyathanti — distressed; na — nor; hṛṣyanti — takes pleasure; yataḥ — because; ātmā — self; aguṇa-āśrayaḥ — transcendental.
TRANSLATION
Generally the transcendentalists, even though engaged by others in the dualities of the material world, are not distressed. Nor do they take pleasure [in worldly things], for they are transcendentally engaged.
PURPORT
The transcendentalists are the empiric philosophers, the mystics and the devotees of the Lord. Empiric philosophers aim at the perfection of merging into the being of the Absolute, mystics aim at perceiving the all-pervading Supersoul, and the devotees of the Lord are engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Personality of Godhead. Since Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān are different phases of the same Transcendence, all these transcendentalists are beyond the three modes of material nature. Material distresses and happinesses are products of the three modes, and therefore the causes of such material distress and happiness have nothing to do with the transcendentalists. The King was a devotee, and the ṛṣi was a mystic. Therefore both of them were unattached to the accidental incident created by the supreme will. The playful child was an instrument in fulfilling the Lord's will.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the First Canto, Eighteenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "Mahārāja Parīkṣit Cursed by a Brāhmaṇa Boy."
parair dvandveṣu yojitāḥ
na vyathanti na hṛṣyanti
yata ātmāguṇāśrayaḥ
SYNONYMS
prāyaśaḥ — generally; sādhavaḥ — saints; loke — in this world; paraiḥ — by others; dvandveṣu — in duality; yojitāḥ — being engaged; na — never; vyathanti — distressed; na — nor; hṛṣyanti — takes pleasure; yataḥ — because; ātmā — self; aguṇa-āśrayaḥ — transcendental.
TRANSLATION
Generally the transcendentalists, even though engaged by others in the dualities of the material world, are not distressed. Nor do they take pleasure [in worldly things], for they are transcendentally engaged.
PURPORT
The transcendentalists are the empiric philosophers, the mystics and the devotees of the Lord. Empiric philosophers aim at the perfection of merging into the being of the Absolute, mystics aim at perceiving the all-pervading Supersoul, and the devotees of the Lord are engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Personality of Godhead. Since Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān are different phases of the same Transcendence, all these transcendentalists are beyond the three modes of material nature. Material distresses and happinesses are products of the three modes, and therefore the causes of such material distress and happiness have nothing to do with the transcendentalists. The King was a devotee, and the ṛṣi was a mystic. Therefore both of them were unattached to the accidental incident created by the supreme will. The playful child was an instrument in fulfilling the Lord's will.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the First Canto, Eighteenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "Mahārāja Parīkṣit Cursed by a Brāhmaṇa Boy."
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.18.49
iti putra-kṛtāghena
so 'nutapto mahā-muniḥ
svayaḿ viprakṛto rājñā
naivāghaḿ tad acintayat
SYNONYMS
iti — thus; putra — son; kṛta — done by; aghena — by the sin; saḥ — he (the muni); anutaptaḥ — regretting; mahā-muniḥ — the sage; svayam — personally; viprakṛtaḥ — being so insulted; rājñā — by the King; na — not; eva — certainly; agham — the sin; tat — that; acintayat — thought of it.
TRANSLATION
The sage thus regretted the sin committed by his own son. He did not take the insult paid by the King very seriously.
PURPORT
The whole incident is now cleared up. Mahārāja Parīkṣit's garlanding the sage with a dead snake was not at all a very serious offense, but Śṛńgi's cursing the King was a serious offense. The serious offense was committed by a foolish child only; therefore he deserved to be pardoned by the Supreme Lord, although it was not possible to get free from the sinful reaction. Mahārāja Parīkṣit also did not mind the curse offered to him by a foolish brāhmaṇa. On the contrary, he took full advantage of the awkward situation, and by the great will of the Lord, Mahārāja Parīkṣit achieved the highest perfection of life through the grace of Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Actually it was the desire of the Lord, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Ṛṣi Śamīka and his son Śṛńgi were all instrumental in fulfilling the desire of the Lord. So none of them were put into difficulty because everything was done in relation with the Supreme Person.
so 'nutapto mahā-muniḥ
svayaḿ viprakṛto rājñā
naivāghaḿ tad acintayat
SYNONYMS
iti — thus; putra — son; kṛta — done by; aghena — by the sin; saḥ — he (the muni); anutaptaḥ — regretting; mahā-muniḥ — the sage; svayam — personally; viprakṛtaḥ — being so insulted; rājñā — by the King; na — not; eva — certainly; agham — the sin; tat — that; acintayat — thought of it.
TRANSLATION
The sage thus regretted the sin committed by his own son. He did not take the insult paid by the King very seriously.
PURPORT
The whole incident is now cleared up. Mahārāja Parīkṣit's garlanding the sage with a dead snake was not at all a very serious offense, but Śṛńgi's cursing the King was a serious offense. The serious offense was committed by a foolish child only; therefore he deserved to be pardoned by the Supreme Lord, although it was not possible to get free from the sinful reaction. Mahārāja Parīkṣit also did not mind the curse offered to him by a foolish brāhmaṇa. On the contrary, he took full advantage of the awkward situation, and by the great will of the Lord, Mahārāja Parīkṣit achieved the highest perfection of life through the grace of Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Actually it was the desire of the Lord, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Ṛṣi Śamīka and his son Śṛńgi were all instrumental in fulfilling the desire of the Lord. So none of them were put into difficulty because everything was done in relation with the Supreme Person.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.18.48
tiraskṛtā vipralabdhāḥ
śaptāḥ kṣiptā hatā api
nāsya tat pratikurvanti
tad-bhaktāḥ prabhavo 'pi hi
SYNONYMS
tiraḥ-kṛtāḥ — being defamed; vipralabdhāḥ — being cheated; śaptāḥ — being cursed; kṣiptāḥ — disturbed by negligence; hatāḥ — or even being killed; api — also; na — never; asya — for all these acts; tat — them; pratikurvanti — counteract; tat — the Lord's; bhaktāḥ — devotees; prabhavaḥ — powerful; api — although; hi — certainly.
TRANSLATION
The devotees of the Lord are so forbearing that even though they are defamed, cheated, cursed, disturbed, neglected or even killed, they are never inclined to avenge themselves.
PURPORT
Ṛṣi Śamīka also knew that the Lord does not forgive a person who has committed an offense at the feet of a devotee. The Lord can only give direction to take shelter of the devotee. He thought within himself that if Mahārāja Parīkṣit would countercurse the boy, he might be saved. But he knew also that a pure devotee is callous about worldly advantages or reverses. As such, the devotees are never inclined to counteract personal defamation, curses, negligence, etc. As far as such things are concerned, in personal affairs the devotees do not care for them. But in the case of their being performed against the Lord and His devotees, then the devotees take very strong action. It was a personal affair, and therefore Śamīka Ṛṣi knew that the King would not take counteraction. Thus there was no alternative than to place an appeal to the Lord for the immature boy.
It is not that only the brāhmaṇas are powerful enough to award curses or blessings upon the subordinates; the devotee of the Lord, even though he may not be a brāhmaṇa, is more powerful than a brāhmaṇa. But a powerful devotee never misuses the power for personal benefit. Whatever power the devotee may have is always utilized in service towards the Lord and His devotees only.
śaptāḥ kṣiptā hatā api
nāsya tat pratikurvanti
tad-bhaktāḥ prabhavo 'pi hi
SYNONYMS
tiraḥ-kṛtāḥ — being defamed; vipralabdhāḥ — being cheated; śaptāḥ — being cursed; kṣiptāḥ — disturbed by negligence; hatāḥ — or even being killed; api — also; na — never; asya — for all these acts; tat — them; pratikurvanti — counteract; tat — the Lord's; bhaktāḥ — devotees; prabhavaḥ — powerful; api — although; hi — certainly.
TRANSLATION
The devotees of the Lord are so forbearing that even though they are defamed, cheated, cursed, disturbed, neglected or even killed, they are never inclined to avenge themselves.
PURPORT
Ṛṣi Śamīka also knew that the Lord does not forgive a person who has committed an offense at the feet of a devotee. The Lord can only give direction to take shelter of the devotee. He thought within himself that if Mahārāja Parīkṣit would countercurse the boy, he might be saved. But he knew also that a pure devotee is callous about worldly advantages or reverses. As such, the devotees are never inclined to counteract personal defamation, curses, negligence, etc. As far as such things are concerned, in personal affairs the devotees do not care for them. But in the case of their being performed against the Lord and His devotees, then the devotees take very strong action. It was a personal affair, and therefore Śamīka Ṛṣi knew that the King would not take counteraction. Thus there was no alternative than to place an appeal to the Lord for the immature boy.
It is not that only the brāhmaṇas are powerful enough to award curses or blessings upon the subordinates; the devotee of the Lord, even though he may not be a brāhmaṇa, is more powerful than a brāhmaṇa. But a powerful devotee never misuses the power for personal benefit. Whatever power the devotee may have is always utilized in service towards the Lord and His devotees only.
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