Verse 1.3.37-38

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.3.37-38:

लोकेशो ज्ञानदो ज्ञानी मुक्तो मुक्ति-प्रदोऽप्य् अहम् ।
भक्तो भक्ति-प्रदो विष्णोर् इत्य्-आद्य्-अहङ्क्रियावृतः ॥ ३७ ॥
सर्व-ग्रास-करे घोरे महा-काले समागते ।
विलज्जेऽशेष-संहार-तामस-स्व-प्रयोजनात् ॥ ३८ ॥

lokeśo jñānado jñānī mukto mukti-prado'py aham |
bhakto bhakti-prado viṣṇor ity-ādy-ahaṅkriyāvṛtaḥ || 37 ||
sarva-grāsa-kare ghore mahā-kāle samāgate |
vilajje'śeṣa-saṃhāra-tāmasa-sva-prayojanāt || 38 ||

I am entrenched in false pride, considering myself master of the world, as both the giver of knowledge and knowledgeable, the liberator and liberated, a devotee and dispenser of viṣṇu-bhakti.

However, at the time of cosmic devastation when the hideous Mahā-kāla manifests and devours everyone, at that time the tāmasic work of destruction of the entire world is my assigned duty. Now, remembering all these things, I feel embarrassed.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

“I am the ahaṅkāra ādhiṣṭhatṛ devatā, the lone presiding deity of false ego; what to speak of that, I am myself entrenched in false ego. What great pride I have is told in the verses beginning with lokeśa, master of the world. I am covered by these egos, thinking, ‘I am a devotee of Viṣṇu, I am the bestower of viṣṇu-bhakti, and so forth.’”

The word ādi suggests an array of erroneous, egotistical titles that are bestowed upon him: “I am the best recipient of Viṣṇu’s mercy; the dearmost; the lord of the universe; the bestower of knowledge; a learned person; liberated and liberator. Factually, for one who creates ahaṅkāra in others, that person himself must be a great ahaṅkārī, or bearer of false ego, rightfully so. Therefore, the slightest trace of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mercy is not present in me.

“Moreover, consider that the activity of the annihilation of the entire world is my responsibility. Simply remembering these things is a source of shame. Knowing that it is my personal responsibility makes me feel so shameful that I must lower my head.”