Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)

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

The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 1.4.13, 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 1.4.13 contained in Chapter 4—Bhakta (the devotee)—of Part one (prathama-khanda).

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.4.13:

श्री-नारद उवाच—
भो वैष्णव-श्रेष्ठ जितस् त्वयेति किं वाच्यं मुकुन्दो बलिनापि निर्जितः ।
पौत्रेण दैतेय-गणेश्वरेण ते संरक्षितो द्वारि तव प्रसादतः ॥ १३ ॥

śrī-nārada uvāca
bho vaiṣṇava-śreṣṭha jitas tvayeti kiṃ vācyaṃ mukundo balināpi nirjitaḥ |
pautreṇa daiteya-gaṇeśvareṇa te saṃrakṣito dvāri tava prasādataḥ || 13 ||

Śrī Nārada said: O best of the Vaiṣṇavas, you have conquered Bhagavān Śrī Mukunda. What more can I say? By your mercy the chief ruler of the demons, your grandson Bali, also captured Śrī Bhagavān and subjugated Him to be your doorkeeper.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

You conquered Bhagavān; in this connection what more can I say? The daityarāja, king of demons, your grandson Mahārāja Bali also became victorious over Bhagavān by your mercy. This is not possible by any other means except by your mercy. This should be understood without a doubt. The characteristics of Bali Mahārāja’s victory are being told: Having conquered Śrī Bhagavān completely means “having kept Him in the form of our own doorkeeper.”

In this connection, in the Eighth Canto you yourself have said (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhāgavata Purāṇa 8.23.6):

नेमं विरिञ्चो लभते प्रसादं न श्रीर् न सर्वः किम् उतापरे ये
यन् नो’सुराणाम् असि दुर्ग-पालो विश्वाभिवन्द्यैर् अभिवन्दिताङ्घ्रिः

nemaṃ viriñco labhate prasādaṃ na śrīr na sarvaḥ kim utāpare ye
yan no’surāṇām asi durga-pālo viśvābhivandyair abhivanditāṅghriḥ

O Madhusūdana, all glories unto You whom all living entities, both moving and non-moving, glorify Your divine lotus feet. Although being worshipable by the entire world, You have become the doorkeeper of the demons. What to speak of others such as Śrī Brahmā, Śrī Lakṣmī, Śrī Maheśa, what have they ever achieved by such mercy? To be precise, nothing was achieved.

In the Dvārakā-māhātmya section of the Prahlāda-saṃhitā (Skanda Purāṇa 4.19.2-3) it has also been stated:

पराधीनो’स्मि विप्रेन्द्र भक्ति-क्रीतो’स्मि नान्यथा
बलेर् आदेश-कारी च दैत्येन्द्र-वश-गो ह्य् अहम्
तस्मात् प्रार्थय विप्रेन्द्र, दैत्यं वैरोचनं बलिम्
अस्यादेशात् करिष्यामि, यद् अभीष्टं तवाधुना

parādhīno’smi viprendra bhakti-krīto’smi nānyathā
baler ādeśa-kārī ca daityendra-vaśa-go hy aham
tasmāt prārthaya viprendra, daityaṃ vairocanaṃ balim
asyādeśāt kariṣyāmi, yad abhīṣṭaṃ tavādhunā

At a time when the residents of Dvārakā were being subjugated by the Kuśa demon and were severely distressed, then Śrī Durvāsa went to the residence of Mahārāja Bali to bring Bhagavān. Bhagavān told Durvāsa, ‘O best of the brāhmaṇas, I am dependent, being purchased and paid off by bhakti, by the price of devotion. Without Mahārāja Bali, I cannot do anything independently. You have to pray to daityarāja Bali. I am his order-supplier; by receiving his order I can fulfill your desires.”

Hearing this, Durvāsā narrated his request to daityarāja Bali. Mahārāja Bali did not accept his request. Therefore, Durvāsā ṛṣī took a vow of fasting.

Seeing him ready to die, Mahārāja Bali said (Skanda Purāṇa 7.4.19.16):

यद् भाव्यं तद् भवतु ते यज् जानासि तथा कुरु
ब्रह्म-रुद्रादि-नमितं नाहं त्यक्स्ये पद-द्वयम्

yad bhāvyaṃ tad bhavatu te yaj jānāsi tathā kuru
brahma-rudrādi-namitaṃ nāhaṃ tyaksye pada-dvayam

O topmost brāhmaṇa, whatever is my fate and whatever is yours will happen. Whatever feels good, you may also do. Nevertheless, I cannot give up the divine lotus feet of Bhagavān that are worshipable by demigods, even if they are Śrī Brahmā or Rudra.

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