Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329
The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 1.7.153, 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 1.7.153 contained in Chapter 7—Purna (pinnacle of excellent devotees)—of Part one (prathama-khanda).
Verse 1.7.153
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.7.153:
केवलं परमं दैन्यम् अवलम्ब्यास्य शिक्षया ।
श्रीमन्-मदन-गोपाल-चरणाब्जम् उपासत ॥ १५३ ॥kevalaṃ paramaṃ dainyam avalambyāsya śikṣayā |
śrīman-madana-gopāla-caraṇābjam upāsata || 153 ||According to the advice of Śrī Nārada, the sages began to worship the lotus feet of Śrī Madana-Gopāla with divine, complete humility.
Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda
(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)
Is the abandonment of one’s object the sign of seeking the essence? Anticipating this question, he speaks the lines beginning with kevala. No, they completely abandon karma, jñāna and other forms of sādhana to begin only the worship of the lotus feet of Śrīman Madana-Gopāla-deva with complete, divine humility. What was the nature of that humility? Considering themselves unsuccessful, they thought, “We have not accomplished our object; we do not possess even the slightest devotional sentiment for the lotus feet of Bhagavān.” This kind of feeling of anxiety is humility (dainya). The mercy of Bhagavān is attainable only through this type of humility. Therefore, they all engaged in the bhajana of Bhagavān, which is rooted in humility.