Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)

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

The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 1.2.89-90, 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 1.2.89-90 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 1.2.89-90:

तिष्ठतापि स्वयं साक्षात् कृष्णेनामृत-मन्थने ।
प्रजापतिभिर् आराध्य स गौरी-प्राण-वल्लभः ॥ ८९ ॥
समानाय्य विषं घोरं पाययित्वा विभूषितः ।
महा-महिम-धाराभिर् अभिषिक्तश् च तत् स्फुटम् ॥ ९० ॥

tiṣṭhatāpi svayaṃ sākṣāt kṛṣṇenāmṛta-manthane |
prajāpatibhir ārādhya sa gaurī-prāṇa-vallabhaḥ || 89 ||
samānāyya viṣaṃ ghoraṃ pāyayitvā vibhūṣitaḥ |
mahā-mahima-dhārābhir abhiṣiktaś ca tat sphuṭam || 90 ||

At the the Ocean of Milk when nectar was churned from it, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself was directly present. At that time, the Prajāpatis worshipped the beloved life and soul of Gaurī. Śiva then became famous by drinking that terrible poison, becoming renowned as Nīlakaṇṭha, the dark, blue-throated one. Is it not clear how Śrī Kṛṣṇa greatly sanctified Śrī Śiva by such glorious ceremonies?

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

At the time of churning of the Ocean of Milk, Śrī Viṣṇu was directly present Himself. Here, the meaning of the word sākṣāt is that in the “direct presence” of Śrī Bhagavān, what is the question of fearing poison? Still, creating the fear of poison, and for counteracting it by showing the worship of Śiva, all the cosmic controllers called Him there. Bhagavān came there only for making the illustrious glories of His devotee widely known. This was the purpose for coming. Afterwards, all the Prajāpatis gave Śrī Śiva respect by offering cordial greetings, stotras and so on.

The implication behind the phrase gaurī-prāṇa-vallabha is that the drinking of poison was intolerable to Gaurī, nonetheless her beloved Śiva still swallowed the poison. Or, by this act of drinking the poison Śrī Śiva’s stockpile of glories increased and spread. In this way, Śrī Bhagavān adorned Śrī Śiva by the name of Nīla-kaṇṭha, “the dark, bluethroated one.” Is this not clearly a sign that Bhagavān increased the glories of his disciplic line by this ceremonious act? Śrī Bhagavān did not perform the act personally but accomplished it through his devotee, in this way spreading the munificent glories of his devotee throughout the world.

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