Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)

by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329

The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 1.2.41-42, English translation, including commentary (Dig-darshini-tika): an important Vaishnava text dealing with the importance of devotional service. The Brihad-bhagavatamrita, although an indepent Sanskrit work, covers the essential teachings of the Shrimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata-purana). This is verse 1.2.41-42 contained in Chapter 2—Divya (the celestial plane)—of Part one (prathama-khanda).

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.2.41-42:

पद्म-योनेः प्रहर्षार्थं द्रव्य-जातं निवेदितम् ।
सहस्र-पाणिभिर् वक्त्र-सहस्रेष्व् अर्पयन्न् अदन् ॥ ४१ ॥
दत्त्वेष्टान् यजमानेभ्यो वरान् निद्रा-गृहं गतः ।
लक्ष्मी-संवाह्यमानाङ्घ्रिर् निद्राम् आदत्त लीलया ॥ ४२ ॥

padma-yoneḥ praharṣārthaṃ dravya-jātaṃ niveditam |
sahasra-pāṇibhir vaktra-sahasreṣv arpayann adan || 41 ||
dattveṣṭān yajamānebhyo varān nidrā-gṛhaṃ gataḥ |
lakṣmī-saṃvāhyamānāṅghrir nidrām ādatta līlayā || 42 ||

Afterwards, Śrī Nārada saw the noble Mahāpuruṣa, in order to satisfy the lotus-born Brahmājī, began accepting all the offerings with His thousands of hands and devouring them with His thousands of mouths. Following that, He offered desired boons to the sacrificial priests, and then He departed for His own abode where Śrī Lakṣmīdevī began to massage His lotus feet as He assumed His pastime of divine sleep.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Again, all the paraphernalia offered with devotion by that person to Bhagavān was direct, that is to say, thousands of hands accepted the offerings and thousands of mouths ate the offerings made by the yajamānas (sacrificial priests) with heartfelt benedictions.

This is the purport behind the verses beginning with padma-yoneḥ. Not only offered, but also devoured by thousands of mouths—the satisfaction of eating is pointed out here. “Desirable boons” (abhīṣṭa varān) always means “boons from the perfection of the yajñas.” Afterwards, He left for His sleeping quarters and assumed His pastime of divine sleep (nidra-līlā) where Lakṣmī-devī began massaging His lotus feet. At this time it is understandable that no one is able to have His darśana.

In Brahmaloka Bhagavān’s acceptance of yajñas and His sleeping pastime are two principle pastimes that Śrī Vaiśampayana Muni describes in the Mahābhārata.

There is a vivid account following the demise of Kālanemi, regarding His acceptance of sacrifices:

स ददर्श मखेष्व् आज्यतिर् इज्यमानं महर्षिभिः
भागं यज्ञियम् अश्नानं स्वं देहम् अपरं स्थितम्

sa dadarśa makheṣv ājyatir ijyamānaṃ maharṣibhiḥ
bhāgaṃ yajñiyam aśnānaṃ svaṃ deham aparaṃ sthitam

After reaching that place, he saw Śrī Bhagavān’s personal form as well as other forms. The brahmarṣis were served with offerings of ghee in the fire and so on, and He was consuming it.

And then again as His sleeping pastime says:

स तत्र प्रविशन्न् एव जता-भरं समुद्वहन्
सहस्र-शिरसो भुत्वा शयनायोपचक्रमे

sa tatra praviśann eva jatā-bharaṃ samudvahan
sahasra-śiraso bhutvā śayanāyopacakrame

After this, the thousand-headed Mahāpuruṣa matted His hair in a bond and went off to His abode to take rest.

This is positive proof that Śrī Bhagavān is always staying in His perfect residence in Brahmaloka. Again Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī describes it in the introduction of the Tenth Canto, “By the entreaty of Pṛthivī-devī, the demigods headed by Brahmājī went to the shore of the Ocean of Milk (kṣīroda-sāgara) to offer prayers to Bhagavān Śrī Keśava.” The reconciliation of this statement is that this incident could have happened in a separate kalpa or millenium, or at that time Śrī Bhagavān was not personally present in Brahmaloka.

Another understanding could be that Śrī Bhagavān, entering His abode to rest, having fallen asleep (shutting His eyes to the universe) and it being improper to arouse Him, Śrī Brahmā then went before Śrī Viṣṇu on the shore of the oceanic milk. On the other hand, Śrī Brahmājī could have had the conception that if the Mahāpuruṣa, after being petitioned to descend to remove the burden of the earth, descended upon this earthly plane, then my Brahmaloka would be like a void. Therefore, Kṣīrodaśayī Śrī Viṣṇu, who was lying on the Ocean of Milk, appeared on this earth and would dispel the burden of the earth.

Deciding in this way, he went to the shore of the Ocean of Milk for his prayers and vows. At that time, svayam bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa appeared in Mathurā maṇḍala and Śrī Viṣṇu merged within Him. Thus His descent is to be understood. In this way and every way, it is reconciled.

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